fiKor^air-) 


HISTOM    AND    DESCRIPTION. 


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By  Post  for  Two  St.amps. 


BY  MICHAEL  T.  MOB.EALL, 

^Cdfc?,     HIGH     STREET,      MANCHESTER, 

BALMORAL   HOUST;,    MATLOCK. 


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ABEL    MOERALL, 

NEEDLE    AND    THIMBLE    MANTJFACTTJEER, 

Wareliouses,  4,  Grresliam  Street,  City  London, 

&  7,  Higli  Street,  Manchester ; 
Manufactory,  Studley  Mills,  Nr.  BromsgroYe. 


The  principal  processes  now  exhibiting  in  the 
Machinery  Department  of  the  International  Ex- 
hibition, Class  7  B.,  &  Crystal  Palace  Sydenham, 


UCSB  LIBRARY 

HISTOfiY  AND  DESCEIPTION 


OF 


NEEDLE    MAKING. 


PRICE  ONE  PENNY. 

BY    POST     FOR    TWO    STAMPS. 


BY 

Michael  T.  Moeraxl,  7,  High-st.,  M.axchestee, 
Balmokal  House,  Matlock. 

1862. 


ENTERED  AT   STATIOXEES'   H-iLL. 


3LiXCHESTEE  : 
rRL^TTED   BY    H.     BELDDOK,  55,   EArLKN'EE   STEEET» 


IFMlfA^lc 


In  presenting  the  Third  Edition  of  this  little 
work  to  the  public,  it  gives  me  great  pleasure  to 
state,  that  the  History  and  Description  of  Needle 
Making,  on  its  first  appearance  in  1862,  was 
kindly  noticed  by  the  press,  and  well  received  by 
the  Needle  Makers ;  many  of  them  having  expres- 
sed to  me  their  satisfaction  and  surprise  that  I  had 
procured  so  much  information,  as  no  history  of 
needle  making  had  ever  before  been  published. 
Descriptions  of  the  processes  have  attimes  appeared 
in  the  magazines,  but  the  writers  who  visited  the 
manufactories  at  Redditch,  treated  the  subject 
more  as  a  puff  for  the  manufacturers  who  enter- 
tained them,  so  that  very  little  was  known  to  the 
public  respecting  it,  pre\TLOus  to  the  Great  Exhi- 
bition of  1851.  The  ofiicial  description  on  Abel 
Morrall's  case,  in  Class  22,  gave  but  little  in- 
formation, as  it  was  very  defective ;  it  has  been 
amended  and  forms  part  of  this  work.  The  cases 
of  needles  shewn  in  the  Exhibition  were  not  much 
noticed,  but  visitors  were  most  anxious  to  see 
needles  made  by  Abel  Morrall's  machinery  in  Class 
6 ;  and  many  notices  of  needle  making  appeared 
in  the  news-papers  diu-ing  the  time  of  the  Ex- 
hibition, which  has  brought  the  trade  prominently 
before  the  public .     The  fi-equent  applications  from 


IT  PEEFACE. 

persons  connected  with  the  press,  for  a  history  of 
the  art,  was  one  reason  that  induced  me  to  compile 
the  history  of  needle  making. 

This  useful  branch  of  manufacture  has  been  the 
staple  trade  of  Studley,  my  natiye  "sdUage,  fi'om 
time  immemorial,  and  my  family  are  engaged  in 
the  business,  and  haye  been  for  at  least  six  gener- 
ations, and  haye  introduced  most  of  the  impvoye- 
ments  that  have  been  effected  in  the  modern  needle 
— one  of  the  most  useful  implements  of  the  world. 

It  is  indeed  an  important  little  article;  and  before 
^yriting  its  histoiy,  I  visited  the  places  in  England 
where  needles  are  made.  At  Long  Crendon,  in  Buck- 
inghamshire, I  was  grayely  informed  that  Solomon 
Shi'impton,  a  native  of  that  ^-illage,  fii-st  introduced 
needle  making  into  the  neighbourhood  of  Redditch 
at  the  begimiing  of  the  present  centurj\  I  answered 
my  informant,  that  such  tales  would  not  do  for  a 
history  of  needle  making,  as  it  is  well  known,  that 
needles  were  made  in  that  locality,  long  before  any 
needle  maker  came  there  from  Long  Crendon ;  as 
I  remember  an  old  man  called  George  Wigget 
a  natiye  of  Studley,  who  was  near  one  hundred  years 
old :  this  old  man  could  give  no  infonnation  as  to 
the  introduction  of  needle  making,  but  said  when  he 
first  went  out  to  work,  it  was  to  tm-n  Alcock's  mill 
at  Samboume,  near  Studley, used  for  pointing  and 
scoiu'ing  needles,  and  that  in  his  day,  Studley  was 
the  principle  place  for  needle  making.     Ha\ing 


PREFACE.  V 

examined  records  and  considted  the  oldest  needle 
makers,  I  find  the  old  man's  testimony  to  be  worthy 
of  credit.  In  following  this  interesting  reseai'ch 
through  past  ages,  it  is  found  the  trade  becomes 
gradually  smaller,  and  at  last  is  obscured  in  cer- 
tain families  at  Studley  and  Alcester. 
I  have  traced  this  useful  art  between  Studley,  Al- 
cester, Redditch,  London,  Long  Crendon,  Chester, 
and  other  places,and  have  gathered  up  the  fragments 
of  its  history  to  compose  this  little  work.  The  fii-si 
Edition  came  in  useful  for  the  Reporters  at  the 
Dublin  Exhibition,  the  second  Edition  came  out  in 
1 854,  iu  time  for  the  opening  of  the  Ciystal  Palace, 
at  Sydenham,  and  which  contains  many  facts  not 
recorded  in  the  first,  and  in  this  present  Edition 
will  be  found  new  facts  and  interesting  matter, 
obtained  from  various  sources  although  the  author- 
ities are  not  always  stated;  my  object  having  been 
to  collect  facts  which  may  prove  useful  at  some  fu- 
ture time.  I  hope  the  Reporters  will  find  this 
equally  beneficial  at  the  International  Exhibition 
of  1862. 

MICHAEL  T.  MORRALL 

7,  High  Street,  Manchester, 


\7    9 


Needles  in  tlieii*  different 
stages    of  manufactui-e,   see 

OFFICIAL  DESCRIPTION,    page 

32. 


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THE   NEEDLE. 


Chapter  I. 
High  up  in  the  Lebanon  nestling  amongst  the  mul- 
bery  trees,  stands  a  Adllage  called  Eden,  believed 
by  many  people  in  the  land,  to  be  the  first  home  of 
Adam  and  Eve,  where  the  first  sewing  was  ever  done, 
when  as  we  are  informed  "they  sewed  fig  leaves  toge- 
ther to  make  themselves  aprons. ' '  How  true  to  Nature 
is  this,  for  do  we  not  remember  how  in  very  early  life; 
we  fastened  together  leaves  for  our  adornment,  with 
thorns  gathered  fi-omthe  May  Bush,  little  thinking  that 
the  same  thing  had  been  done  ages  before  in  Eden,  and 
that  the  most  gorgeous  dress  originated  in  a  fig  leaf. 

How  simple  then  appears  the  origin  of  needles  ;  if  as 
is  supposed  they  were  first  made  out  of  thorns.  Our 
Sacred  records  state  that  Tubal  Cain  worked  in  iron  and 
brass  ;  and  that  one  of  the  rivers  running  out  of  Eden 
contained  gold  which  was  pronounced  good:  we  may 
infer  that  the  gold  was  good  for  the  making  of  useful  and 
ornamental  articles ;  and  at  that  early  date  there  may 
have  been  needles  made  of  gold,  as  also  of  iron  or  brass. 
In  Dr.  Abbott's  Museum,  at  Cairo,  is  a  wood  needle  of 
extremely  old  date,  togetherwithapieceof  sewing,  taken 
out  of  the  tomb  of  an  Egyptian  lady.  At  the  Dublin 
Exhibition  there  was  a  collection  of  bone  and  bronze 
needles,  foimd  in  Ireland  and  Denmark.  In  the  City 
Museum  London,  there  are  some  specimens  of  old  Bri- 
tish needles.  In  this  country  formerly,  the  upper  clas- 
ses used  gold  and  silver  needles,  and  some  estates  were 
held  by  the  annual  payment  of  one  or  two  of  these 
costly  articles. 

There  is  a  custom  observed  yearly,  at  Queen's  Col- 
lege, Cambridge,  when  the  Bursar  gives  to  every  mem- 
ber a  needle  and  thread,  in  remembrance  of  the  founder, 
whose  name  being  Egglesfield,  was  deduced  from  two 
French  words,  Aguille  Fit :  a  needle  and  thread 

Hemy  Y,  when  Prince  of  "Wales,  was  a  student  in 
this  College,  and  "He  came  into  liis  father's  presence 
in  a  strange  disguise,  being  in  a  garment  of  blue  satin, 
■ftTOught  fuU  of  eyelet  holes,  and  at  every  eyelet  the 


HISTORY  A^'D   DESCRIPTION 

needle  left  hanging  by  the  silk  it  -was  Tn-oiiglit  with." 
The  habit  of  a  scholar  was  so  very  different  from  that 
of  a  soldier  in  those  days, that  notliing  coiild  better 
allay  the  kings  suspicions  than  this  silent  declaration 
of  attachnientto literature andrennnciationof  the  sword. 
{Speed's  Chronicle.) 

We  know  an  ola  Scotch  woman  who  says  in  her 
younger  days  she  darned  her  stockings  with  a  wood 
needle.  There  are  at  this  day  Indian  women,  who  sew 
with  needles  of  porcupine  quill,  and  thread  made  of  the 
sinews  of  the  deer.  There  are  the  fish-bone,  that  the 
Greenlanders  and  the  South  Sea  Islanders  use ;  the  wo- 
men of  one  race  sitting  in  their  snow  burrows  stitching 
by  the  light  of  theii-  oil  lamps  ;  and  the  women  of  the 
other  race  wearing  while  at  work,  a  great  palm  leaf  on 
their  heads  for  shade,  and  cooling  themselves  occasion- 
ally by  a  SMom  in  the  calm  waters,  within  the  coral 
reef ;  the  Chinese  claim  to  have  made  steel  needles  from 
a  remote  period,  we  have  seen  some  good  needles  that 
were  made  in  that  Empire.  A  correspondent  writing 
from  Shanghai,  says,  at  Ningpo  there  is  a  needle  man- 
ufactory, where  you  may  see  men  grinding  long  steel 
bars  to  the  necessary  fineness,  by  rubbing  them  with 
theii-  hands  upon  a  stone,  then  notcliing  them  at  the 
requii-ed  lengths,  breaking  them  off"  and  filing  the  points, 
while  little  boys  take  up  the  wondrous  tale  and  punch 
the  eye  in  each  individual  needle. 

Chapter  II. 

The  Spaniards  are  said  to  be  the  inventors  of 
steel  needles  in  Eiu-ope,  and  to  have  taught  the  Ger- 
mans the  art  of  making  them  ;  and  it  was  from  these 
countries  that  we  derived  our  supplies  of  steel  needles, 
until  a  sufficient  quantity  were  made  at  home.  Little 
is  known  of  the  history  of  many  of  our  useful  arts  be- 
fore the  Eeformation,  the  records  of  the  Monasteries, 
&c.,  having  been  destroyed,  or  dispersed  at  the  disso- 
lution of  religious  houses  ;  and  it  is  only  by  the  perse- 
verance of  the  learned  tailor  Stowe,  (who  spent  his  life 
in  gathering  up  the  scattered  records,)  that  we  have 
any  information ;  and  when  Stowe  became    old  and 


OF  NEEDLE  MLiKING.  3 

poor,  the  king  granted  Mm  ''Letters  Patent,"  to  beg 
ii'omourloYirig  subjects  in  the  churches,  for  one  year, 
and  so  little  were  his  labours  appreciated,  that  the  alms 
were  scarcely  worth  collecting,  so  the  king  graciously 
allowed  him  to  beg  a  little  longer,  hoping  thereby  he 
might  be  better  remunerated. 

If  we  had  the  records  of  the  Augustine  Priory,  at 
Studley,  they  would  perhaps  enlighten  us  about  needle 
making  in  that  parish,  which  is  probably  the  original 
place  in  England,  where  this  branch  of  industry  arose. 
A  general  idea  prevails,  that  needles  have  always  been 
made  here,  and  the  inhabitf.nts  cannot  conceive  a  time 
when  there  were  no  needles  made  in  their  \illage. 

The  oldest  needle  making  families  are  Eawlins  and 
Blimdell.  The  Morralls  are  descended  from  the  for- 
mer family,  in  the  female  line.  There  is  a  tradition 
which  is  supported  by  the  Roll  of  Battel  Abbey,  tliat 
these  fa>nilies  originally  came  from  Normandy ;  A 
needle  manufacturer,  on  a  visit  at  Studley,  from  Nor- 
mandy, recognised  the  Morralls,  there  being  a  family 
named,  de  Morall  in  the  part  he  came  from.  Needles 
W'cjre  at  an  early  period  made  in  'SVales  ;  vre  have  not 
produced  the  date  of  its  introduction,  and  can  only 
state  that  needles  continued  to  be  made  at  "Welsh  Wen- 
lock,  until  about  the  year  1790,  the  Welsh  needle 
makers  have  followed  the  trade  into  War^\ickshire. 

The  earliest  record  of  needle  making  in  London  is  in 
the  year  1545,  during  the  reign  of  Henry  YIIL,  and  the 
most  general  idea  is,  that  tliis  useful  branch  of  industry 
was  introduced  by  a  Moor  from  Spain,  who  also,  it  is 
said,  about  the  year  1563,  commenced  the  making  of 
his  own  wire,  which  gave  him  the  pre-eminence  over  the 
needle  makers  in  the  other  parts  of  the  kingdom,  who 
had  to  import  theii's  from  Spain  and  Germany. 

Stowe,  in  his  chronicles  states,  that  when  the  first 
Q,ueen  Mary  reigned,  needles  were  sold  in  Cheapside 
and  some  other  busy  streets  of  London,  and  that  they 
were  at  that  time  made  hja  Spanish  Negro,  who  refused 
to  disclose  the  secrets  of  his  art.  How  long  the  Moor 
enjoyed  his  exclusive  privileges  Stowe  does  not  state. 
Another  author,  taking  up  the  tliread  of  the  narrative, 


4  mSTOEYA^TD  DESCMPTIOJSr 

states  that  the  art  was  lost  at  the  NegTo's  death,  but  was 
soon  after  recoTered  by  one  Elias  Karuse,  a  Grerman, 
and  other  skilled  workmen  who  came  over  from  France, 
Flanders,  and  Germany,  during^  the  reign  of  Elizabeth, 
and  thus  the  trade  was  re-established  in  London,  and 
the  sale  of  needles  greatlyextendedthi'oughout  England, 
Wales,  and  Ireland  ;  the  importation  iDecoming  every 
year  smaller,  ujitU  it  entii-ely  ceased,  and  exportation 
commenced.  It  may  be  mentioned  here,  as  a  curious 
incident,  that  soon  after  the  execution  of  King  Charles, 
Cromwell' s  government  resolved  to  apprentice  Elizabeth 
Stuart,  the  second  daughter  of  the  late  king,  to  a  needle 
maker  ;*  but  from  the  time  the  princess  was  made  ac- 
quainted with  the  government's  intentions,  her  spirits 
became  depressed,  her  health  declined,  and  her  demise 
in  1650,  prevented  this  cruel  and  tyrannical  resolution 
being  carried  into  effect. 

It  appears  that  this  b^ade  was  commenced  at  Long 
Crendon,  in  Buckinghamshire,  by  one  Christopher 
Greening,  who,  with  his  wife  andthi'ee  children,  settled 
in  that  pretty  village  about  the  year  1650,  having  been 
brought  there  by  the  iniiuence  of  a  family  named  Da- 
rner, who  took  an  interest  in  that  locality.  Is'o  mention 
is  made  of  the  place  where  the  Grreenings  came  from ; 
perhaps  they  were  Londoners,  Long  Crendon  being  near- 
er the  metropolis  than  to  Studley ;  and  we  may  infer  that 
the  London  needle  makers  were  a  considerable  body  at 
this  time,  from  the  fact  of  their  being  incorporated  by 
Charter  only  six  years  later,  namely,  on  the  tenth  day  of 
November,  one  thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty-six,  the 
8th.  of  Charles  II.,  (commonly  called  Cromwell's  time.) 

The  trade  at  Long  Crendon  possesses  some  distinctive 
characteristics,  the  smaller  lands  of  needles  used  for 
domestic  work  do  not  appear  ever  to  have  made  much 
])rogress,  the  goods  produced  here  being  of  a  larger 
description,  namely,  sail  and  ])acking  needles,  together 
T\ith  those  used  for  netting  and  sui'gical  purposes .     The 

*The  author  has  not  been  able  to  ascertain  the  name  of 
this  UP' die  maker,  norths  place  of  his  residence,  anyptrson 
funiishir.o-  such  information  v.ill  confer  a  favour. 


OF  NEEDLE  MA  KTSG,  5 

making  of  knitting  pins  and  pillow  lace  forming  part 
of  the  staple  trade  of  the  village.  The  inhabitants  of 
this  place,  by  frequent  intermarriages,  may  be  consid- 
ered as  one  family ;  they  have  a  general  family  resem- 
blance, being  decidedly  Danish  in  their  appearance  ; 
they  have  about  half-a-dozen  family  names,  that  of 
Shrimpton  being  the  most  numerous.  The  people  are 
most  of  them  musicians,  which  often  leads  to  drinking 
and  neglect  of  business.  This  place  presents  no  appar- 
ent advantage  for  needle  making,  it  being  destitute  of 
water  power,  and  it  is  fourteen  miles  from  Aylesbury 
which  is  the  nearest  Railway  Station,  the  only  means 
of  conveyance  being  a  London  waggon,  reminding  a 
stranger  of  the  picture  in  Dick  Whittington.  When 
at  Long  Crendon,  we  dilligently  enquii^ed  respecting 
the  Darners  and  Greenings;  those  with  whom  we  con- 
versed said  that  no  such  names  had  ever  existed  in  the 
neighboui'hood.  Having  procured  a  local  directory,  we 
find  that  the  only  information  on  this  subject  is,  that 
Lord  Dormer  is  Lord  of  the  Manor,  and  we  are  led  to 
conclude  that  the  name  is  not  correctly  spelt  in  the  old 
volume  afterwards  referred  to.  The  Dormers  are  Roman 
Catholics;  the  family  mostly  resides  in  Warwickshire, 
and  the  name  of  Greening  may  still  be  met  with  amongst 
the  needle  makers  of  that  county 

The  restoration  of  King  Charles  II.  gave  an  impetus 
to  the  needle  trade;  the  court  and  people  never  dressing 
more  exti'avagantly  than  during  this  reign  ;  the  king 
granted  a  magnificent  coat  of  arms  to  the  needle  makers 
— the  crest,  an  apple  tree  and  serpent ;  a  shield  of  green 
with  three  needles  in  aline,  ducally  crowned;  support- 
ers, a  man  on  the  right  side  and  a  woman  on  the  left 
— the  woman  holds  a  needle  m  her  dexter  hand.  The 
apple  tree  and  serpent  now  forming  the  background  of 
the  arms,  or  may  be  left  out,  the  crest  being  a  Moor's 
head  in  profile,  \\a'eathed  about  the  temples  and  coped 
at  the  shoulders,  and  in  his  ears  a  pearl.  The  heraldist, 
who  is  seldom  at  a  loss  in  searching  out  a  genealogy 
when  it  is  necessary,  has  given  the  shield  Adam  and 
Eve  for  supporters,  and  a  motto,  "They  sewed  fig  leaves 
together  and  made  themselves  aprons;"  the  inference 


6  HISTOBY  A^D   DESCEIPTIO?^ 

of  course  being  that  needles  must  liave  been  employed 
even  at  that  period,  and  thus  that  it  is  a  manufactiu-e 
which  commenced  almost  with  man  himself,  and  is 
closely  connected  with  the  history  of  the  human  race, 
wherever  gathered  or  scattered  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

By  the  needle,  we  may  infer,  were  made  the  simple 
attu-e  of  the  first  martjT,  Abel,  andhis  mui'derer,  Cain, 
he  garments  of  righteous  Xoah,  and  those  that  were 
destroyed  by  theilood;  Joseph's  coat  of  many  colours, 
and  his  long  fioT^-ing  robes  in  which  he  made  himself 
known  to  his  brethren  in  Egypt,  where  they  went  buy- 
ing corn.  The  needle  was  no  doubt  used  in  forming  the 
dress  of  the  infant  Moses,  in  which  he  was  presented 
to  Pharaoh's  daughter  ;  by  it  was  also  made  the  shep- 
herd's di-ess  and  the  royal  robes  of  David ;  and  at  least, 
the  hem  of  the  garment  of  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  for 
which  the  Roman  soldiers  cast  lots  ^^dthout  the  gates 
of  Jerusalem. 

Holy  Scripture  tells  us  about  the  veil  of  the  Holy  of 
Holies  ;  and  we  read  of  the  garments  of  the  priests  be- 
ing beautifully  embroidered.  The  mother  of  Sisera 
says  unto  her  maidens,  "Take  unto  Sisera  needle-work 
of  divers  colours  on  both  sides."  So  that  in  some  shape 
or  other  the  use  of  the  needle  is  very  ancient,  and  no 
doubt  beguiled  away  the  hours  of  the  maids  of  Juda. 
The  Pagan  Greeks  esteemed  the  art  of  needle-vrork  so 
highly,  that  they  attributed  its  invention  to  their  fa- 
vourite goddess  Minerva.  Homer  constantly  introdu- 
ces his  heroines  so  engaged. 

The  conventual  institutions  of  the  middle  ages  were 
admirable  schools  for  the  various  productions  of  the 
needle — embroidery,  tapestry,  and  the  rest,  Magnificent 
garments  worked  by  the  needle,  were  presented  to 
Popes  Leo  III.  and  lY.  ;  and  also  beautiful  Scriptiu-e 
subjects  were  worked  by  the  needle  to  adorn  the  var- 
ious chapels  in  Eome. 

The  daughters  of  kings  and  nobles,  although  care- 
fully educated  in  polite  Literature  and  various  accom- 
plishments, were  not  considered  suitable  for  "v^ives 
unless  they  were  good  needle  women. 

The  garments  worn  by  Edward  the  Confessor,  on 


OF  IS^EEDLE  MAKING.  7 

state  occasions,  were  embroidered  by  bis  queen  Elgi- 
tba.  There  is  now  in  the  possession  of  tbe  Fishmongers 
Company  in  London,  a  splendid  state  pall,  representing 
Christ  delivering  the  keys  to  Peter,  the  production  of 
this  time.  Coming  dowTi  to  the  time  of  Mary,  Queen 
of  Scotland,  we  find  that  she  was  usually  engaged  in 
sewing  when  she  sat  in  coimcil  vnth  her  ministers  of 
state ;  and  during  her  captivity  at  Hardwick  Hall, 
amused  her  hours  with  works  of  tapestry  in  order  to 
defend  herself  fi'om  the  chill  and  damp  of  her  prison 
walls.  This  injured  queen  has  left  behind  her  needle 
work  of  great  value  and  beauty. 

In  Queen  Anne's  time,  the  needle  seems  to  have 
fallen  into  disuse ;  we  find  in  ^'The  Sjjectcdo)'^^  com- 
menting on  the  idleness  of  the  ladies  of  that  time, 
proposes  certain  rules  to  amend  it ; — 

1st.  That  no  maid  shall  be  allowed  to  receive  the 
addresses  of  her  first  lover,  but  in  a  suit  of  her  own 
embroidery. 

2nd.  That  before  every  fresh  domestic  she  shall 
appear  in  a  fresh  stomacher. 

3rd.  That  no  one  be  married  till  she  have  all  do- 
mestic linen  ready,  and  a  mantle  for  the  baby  ready 
stitched. 

If  similar  rules  were  adopted  by  society  7iou',  we 
should  have  less  slavery  at  the  milliner's  shops — in 
other  words,  less  fancy  crocheting,  more  of  the  useful 
and  less  useless  labour  in  the  houses  of  the  middle 
and  higher  classes. 

"Look  at  my  daughter's  work,"  we  have  often  heard 
fond  mothers  exclaim,  on  the  return  of  their  daughter 
from  school.  It  is  very  pretty,  but  can  she  make  her 
own  clothes,  can  she  bake  and  cook,  &c.  ?  If  not  it 
is  worse  than  pretty  time  misspent. 

Guicardini  ascribes  the  invention  of  tapestry  to  the 
Flemings  ;  though  it  is  believed  that  it  was  practised 
by  the  Saracens  long  before  its  introduction  into  Eu- 
rope. The  fii'st  manufactories  were  at  Brussels,  Ant- 
werp, Lisle,  and  Valenciennes;  the  art  was  introduced 
into  France  in  the  reign  of  Francis  I. ,  who  established 
a  manufactory  at  Fontainbleau  ;  and  into  England  in 


O  HISTORY  AXD   DESCRIPTION 

the  reign  of  James  I.  Tapestry  hangings  were,  how- 
ever, kno^Ti  many  years  earlier,  and  had  reached  great 
artistic  perfection. 

Berlin  patterns,  and  work  properly  so  called,  were 
not  known  till  1804,  when  the  hrst  pattern,  on  checked 
paper,  was  published  by  a  print-seller  in  Berlin.  In. 
1810,  Madame  Wittich,  the  wife  of  a  print-seller,  in 
that  city,  and  herself  a  celebrated  workwoman,  urged 
her  husband  to  engage  in  that  branch  of  his  business 
with  more  spirit.  They  are  worked  on  canvass,  either 
worsted  or  silk,  with  wool  manufactured  at  G-otha,  and 
dyed  at  Berlin.  They  were  inti'oduced  into  England 
in  1831.  Wilks,  of  Eegent  Street,  imported  a  large 
quantity  of  patterns  from  Berlin;  and  from  there,  and 
Paris,  the  best  materials  of  silk,  wool,  occ;  and,  more- 
over, engaged  the  best  French  workers  to  accompany 
him  to  this  countiy.  To  this  individual  we  owe  an  art, 
which  gives  amusement  to  so  many  of  our  ladies  ;  and 
is  sometimes  the  horror  of  theii-  husbands  and  brothers. 

The  needle  has  handed  down  to  us  many  an  histor- 
ical pictui-e,  and  iUusti-ated  the  life  of  many  a  saint ; 
and  no  one  in  ancient  times,  surpassed  the  celebrated 
Miss  Linwood,  whose  collection  of  pictures  most  of  us 
have  seen,  and  who  worked  "The  Judgment  of  Cain," 
after  the  age  of  seventy. 

Oiu-  beloved  Queen  is  said  to  be  a  proficient  in  nee- 
dle work.  The  needle  is  alike  found  to  be  the  consoler 
of  cares  in  the  palace  and  the  cottage.  It  is  the  source 
of  enjoyment  to  thousands,  and  sustenance  to  tens  of 
thousands  ;  and  is  too  often  the  companion  o  f  squalid 
misery — for  instance  the  poor  shii't  makers,  so  well 
described  by  Hood,  in  his  "Song  of  the  Shii-t,"  who 
get  4|d.  for  a  long  day's  labour ;  and  of  those  ^Tetched 
creatures  who  toil  for  the  "Jew  slop  sellers."  There 
are  also  the  poor  milliners  and  di'ess  makers,  who  are 
shut  out  fi'om  the  genial  breeze  and  sunshine,  and 
almost  the  light  of  heaven,  often  for  seven  long  days 
in  a  week,  for  12,  14,  and  16  aye,  and  18  hom-s 
a  day,  in  the  season,  up  the  three  pair  hack.  Martyrs 
indeed  they  are  to  pitiless  poverty  and  miserable  pride : 
— the  poor  crcatui-es. 


OF  ^TEEDLE  MAKING.  9 

<'We  must  have  our  dresses,  and  bonnets,  and 
mantles,  and  caps,  &c.,  by  nine  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, for  the  review  and  ball  to  morrow  evening,"  said 
several  aristocratic  ladies,  as  they  bounced  from  a 
splendid  equipage  into  a  milliner's  shop  in  Eegent  St., 
the  other  day  ;  and  it  is  now  three  o'clock." 

"I  doubt  please  your  ladyship,"  said  the  milliner, 
**that  we  shall  not  be  able  to  get  all  of  them  done,  as 
we  only  received  your  ladyship's  commands  yesterday' ' 
addi-essing  the  eldest  of  them. 

"OhI  lor!"  exclaimed  the  quorum  at  once. 

*'But  indeed  you  must;"  said  the  matron  of  the 
group,  or  I  shall  icithdraw  my  patronage',  for  I  cannot 
bear  to  see  my  daughters  in  the  ball  dresses  you  sent 
home  last  week  ;  therefore  they  must  be  done" 

''I  shall,  ladies,  do  my  utmost  to  ensru-e  them  in 
time,"  said  the  shopkeeper. 

TVith  a  sad  heart,  even  the  milliner  proceeds  up 
stairs  to  the  poor  over-worked  in  the  three  2)air  back, 
for  she  knows  aheady  they  can  scarcely  hold  up;  but 
rents  are  so  high,  taxes  so  great,  and  the  patronage  of 
Lady  Gr.  of  such  importance,  that  the  cruel  order  must 
be  obeyed,  and  money  must  be  made  while  the  sun 
shines. 

"Gii'ls,"  said  she,  "Lady  G.'s  dresses  and  those  for 
the  young  ladies  must  be  done  to  night,  and  the  car- 
riage dresses  home  by  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  for 
the  review  in  the  Park  :  so  you  must  again  work  all 
night." 

The  poor  pale-faced  slaves:  one  sighs,  tears  start 
into  the  eyes  of  another,  a  third  murmm-s  at  the  ukase, 
a  fourth  is  awakened  by  the  order  from  a  stupor  in- 
duced by  previous  nights  and  days  of  fatigue. 

How  the  needle  could  tell  of  that  sad  hea\y  night's 
work,  as  it  passed  through  the  splendid  materials 
which  were  to  adorn  the  persons  of  the  ladies  at  that 
gay  festive  and  fashionable  ball  a  few  hours  later. 

But  ^^hat  matters  those  sighs,  and  tears,  and  miu'- 
murings ;  they  would  not  be  seen  there ;  no,  but  they 
were  seen  somewhere  else,  and  heard  also,  as  truly  as 
the  sighs  and  groans  of  the  negro  slaves. 


10  HESTOEY  AXD    DESCEIPTION 


Chapter  III. 

Kow  oiu'  little  wonder-worker  must  say  a  little  about 
his  own  orig'in. 

Many  of  our  most  useful  arts  haye  been  introduced 
into  England  by  refugees  fi'om  the  continent.  Tbe 
oldest  families  of  needle  makers  are  the  Blimdells, 
Eawlins,*  Hewits,  Alcocks,  and  Chatterleys.  It 
appears  probable  they  were  brought  into  this  part 
by  the  Thi-ogmorton  family,  who  protected  them 
in  time  of  persecution.  The  Connells  of  Eedditch 
are  from  Limerick,  where  the  family  formerly  car- 
ried on  an  extensiye  needle  trade.  There  is  also  a 
family  of  the  name  of  Shi'impton  from  Long  Crendon, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Redditch  ;  but  at  yvhat  time 
needles  were  iii-st  made  in  Alcester,  and  Studley,  in 
"Warwicksliii-e,  we  haye  no  information,  neither  is  there 
any  name  giyen  as  the  inyentor  or  introducer  of  nee- 
dle maldng  into  that  locality.  It  is  therefore  probable 
that  needles  haye  been  made  in  Y^ar^^•ickshil•e  at  a  yery 
remote  period.  Xormandy  or  Germany  being  the  most 
likely  coimtries in  which  the  inyention  had  its  rise,  and 
that  the  introduction  of  the  craft  into  London  was  mere- 
ly in  consequence  of  some  improyements  in  this  useful 
branch  of  industry. 

DESCEIPTIOX   OF   NEEDLE   MAEXN'G   rS'   LO>"DOX. 
FEOM   .\2s"   OLD    yOLr:ME. 

"Preyious  to  the  year  1563,  wii^,  for  making 
needles,  was  imported  from  Spain  and  Germany  ;  but 
from  that  time  the  needle  makers  made  their  own  -^ire. 
Haying  dra^Ti  the  wii-e  to  its  proper  lineness,  the 
needle  maker  proceeded  to  cut  it  into  pieces  the  length 
of  the  needles  required  to  be  made,  wliich  he  flattened 
at  one  end  on  an  an^-il,  in  order  to  form  the  head  and 
the  eye  ;  then  the  wires  are  placed  on  a  sheet  of  iron 
over  the  lire  to  soften,  after  which  the  "v\ire  is  pierced 

*  Wm.  the  last  of  the  Ravdius  in  this  neighbom-hood,  died 
a  few  years  ago. 


or  NEEDLE   MAKING  11 

at  the  extreme  end  of  the  flat  part  on  the  anvil,  a 
sqnare  punch  is  hammered  half  throngh,  which  process 
is  termed  first  eyeing.  The  needles  are  then  laid  on  a 
leaden  block, to  bring  out  with  another  punch  the  small 
bit  of  steel  remaining  in  the  eye;  the  roughness  caused 
by  punching  is  removed  from  the  surface  of  the  eye 
by  cutting  a  groove  in  the  flat  part  of  the  wire  on  each 
side  of  the  needle  ;  the  head  is  next  filed  round,  anc' 
the  point  formed  by  the  same  process.  The  needles 
are  then  laid  on  an  iron  pan  and  placed  on  a  charcoal 
fire  until  they  become  red  hot,  when  they  are  thrown 
into  a  basin  of  cold  water  to  harden.  They  are  next 
placed  on  an  iron  shovel  and  held  over  the  fire,  which 
serves  to  temper  them  and  take  oiF  their  brittleness. 
The  process  of  hardening  crooks  them,  so  that  they 
have  to  undergo  the  operation  of  straightning,  which  is 
done  by  placing  each  needle  on  a  small  anvil,  and  a 
few  gentle  taps  makes  it  perfectly  straight.  The  next 
process  is  scouring.  To  do  this  they  take  12,000  nee- 
dles and  range  them  in  small  heaps  against  each  other 
on  a  piece  of  new  buckram,  sprinlded  with  emery  dust 
and  oil  of  olives,  and  make  up  in  a  roll  well  bound  at 
each  end.  This  roll  was  originally  placed  under  the 
feet  of  the  worlanen,  and  scoured  by  moving  the  feet 
backward  and  forward  as  he  sat  at  work  at  the  other 
processes  ;  but  now  the  roU  is  placed  on  the  polishing 
table  and  over  it  a  thick  plank  loaded  with  stones, 
which  men  work  backward  and  forward  for  two  whole 
days,  by  which  means  they  become  bright.  They  are 
then  taken  out  and  washed  with  hot  water  and  soap, 
and  afterwards  placed  in  a  round  box  filled  with  bran, 
mioistened  a  little,  which  is  then  suspended  in  the  air 
by  a  cord,  and  kept  stirred  until  the  bran  and  the 
needles  are  both  dry.  The  needles  are  afterwards  sor- 
ted, the  poiats  are  all  turned  one  way,  and  polished 
with  an  emery  stone  turned  with  a  wheel.  Nothing 
now  remains  to  be  done  but  to  count  them,  five  at  a 
time,  and  make  them  up  in  packets  of  twenty-five 
needles  in  a  paper  for  sale."  Needles  were  begun  and 
finished  by  the  makers  at  their  own  homes,  unassisted 
by  mill  power  in  those  days;  in  London,  at  Long  Cren- 


12  HISTOUT  AXD  DESCiaPTIOX 

don  in  Biickingliamsliire  ;  at  Alcester,  and  Studley,  in 
Warwickshire ;  and  there  were  but  few  needle  makers 
who  were  mostly  very  poor,  although  they  sold  their 
needles  for  a  high  price;  and  needles  were  yeiy  scarce 
in  some  parts  of  England  at  this  time.  Humourous 
tales  are  told  of  Tv'here  the  loss  of  the  only  needle  in 
th.e  house  has  thrown  the  whole  ^-illage  into  dismay. 
Such  an  event  is  not  at  all  likely  to  trouble  us  at  the 
present  time  ;  we  can  obtain  them  in  abundance,  and 
hence  we  find  that  they  are  lost,  broken  and  destroyed 
by  dozens,  without  a  moment's  consideration,  because 
they  are  cheap ;  and  every  improvement  for  abridging 
labour  in  the  needle  making,  has  caused  more  orders 
and  employed  a  greater  quantity  of  people,  who  are 
better  off,  in  every  respect,  than  they  were  formerly. 
EngKsb  needles  are  now  preferred  in  foreign  countries; 
and  the  Grerman  manufacturers,  especially  imitate  our 
labels  to  meet  the  markets.  Some  very  extensive  fac- 
tories in  Prussia,  never  label  with  their  own  names, 
but  print  on  tbeii-  own  premises  labels  of  English  firms 
as  they  are  ordered. 

Chapteb.  IY. 

About  tbe  year  1700,  a  mill  worked  by  horses,  was 
established  at  Studley  for  pointing  and  scouring  needles; 
soon  after,  a  mill  of  this  kind  was  set  up  at  Sambourne, 
a  yillage  near  Studley,  superintended  by  a  family 
named  Biddell,  who  taught  Richard  Hemming  the  art 
of  needle  making,  the  founder  of  the  celebrated  firm  of 
Hemming  and  Sons,  of  Hedditch.  The  horse  mills 
were  in  the  course  of  time  superseded  by  John  Alcock, 
of  Alcester,  who  fitted  up  parts  of  the  old  flour  mills  on 
the  River  Arrow  for  pointing  and  scouring  needles. 
About  1750,  some  needle  makers  in  this  locality  began 
to  aspire  to  the  dignity  of  Manufacturers.  Mackenzie 
appears  to  have  been  the  first  to  establish  a  needle 
manufactory  in  'SNTiitechapel,  London  ;  but  it  cannot 
be  determined  whether  any  needles  were  made  through- 
out at  his  establishment.  It  is  quite  certain  that 
Mackenzie  was  supplied  with  needles  in  an  unfinished 
state  by  Charles   Rawlins,  of  Alcester,  which  were 


OF   KEEDLE   MAKIKO  13 

finished  in  "WMtecliapel.  Mackenzie  introduced  some 
improvements  in  the  finisliing  of  his  needles,  which 
brought  them  into  request;  and  Mackenzie's  White- 
chapel  needles  obtained  a  pre-eminence  over  all  other 
makes.  The  fame  of  those  needles  still  lingers  in  the 
mind  of  the  old  lady,  when  she  hears  the  well  laiown 
cry  of  Whitechapel  Needles,  twenty-five  for  a  penny. 
Mackenzie,  although  famed,  became  embarrassed, 
and  was  about  to  join  the  ConneUs  of  Limerick,  who 
were  needle  makers  in  that  City.  Mackenzie  was 
overtaken  at  Liverpool  by  his  creditor,  Chas.  Rawlins, 
to  whom  he  gave  up  his  tools  in  payment  of  his  debt. 
This  was  a  disappointment  to  the  Connells,  and  they 
removed  to  Redditch,  in  the  year  1780  ;  when  needles 
ceased  to  be  made  in  Ireland,  Mackenzie  returned 
to  London,  and  was  supplied  with  needles  by  John 
Shrimpton,  of  Long  Crendon  ;  but  the  business  of  Ma- 
ckenzie gradually  declined — ^he  could  not  compete  with 
the  Alcester  needle  makers.  One  of  the  tools  obtained 
by  Rawlins  was  called  by  Mackenzie  his  money-spin- 
ner, which  was  used  in  burnishing  the  eyes  of  the 
needles.  It  gave  the  eye  a  bright  appearance,  after 
which  they  were  called  silver  eyed.  The  information 
Rawlins  received  from  Mackenzie,  enabled  him  to 
make  superior  needles  to  any  other  maker ;  he  also 
silvered  the  eyes  for  other  manufacturers,  for  which 
he  received  one  shilling  per  thousand,  or  about_ten 
shillings  per  hour.  A  person  named  Jas.  "Waterhouse, 
took  Rawlins  6,000  needles  to  silver  one  dark  night; 
he  then  placed  a  ladder  to  the  window  were  Rawlins 
worked,  and  discovered  the  process  of  silvering  the 
eyes,  which  he  made  public. 

Chapteb  Y. 

The  Alcester  needle  makers,  jealous  of  the  fame  of 
the  London  needles,  labelled  their  common  qualities 
with  Whitechapel  labels  ;  by  this  means,  and  the 
greater  facilities  for  making  needles  in  Warwickshire, 
needles  soon  ceased  to  be  made  in  London.  The  Alces- 
ter manufacturers  began  also  to  make  sail  and  packing 
needles,    a  branch  of  the  trade  almost  exclusively 


14  HISTORY  A2^D   DESCRIPTION 

confiued  to  Long  Crendon.  The  Long  Crendon  needle 
makers  not  being  progressive,  they  looked  with  eon-- 
tempt  on  what  they  called  new  fangied  ways  of  making 
needles,  and  continued  to  make  them  in  the  "good  old 
way,"  handed  do^^Ti  to  them  through  a  long  line  of 
Greenings  andShiimptons,  fi-om  old  Christopher|Green- 
ing ;  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  their  ti-ade  declined, 
and  the  prosperous  state  of  needle  making  in  Wai'- 
wickshire  atti-acted  the  most  energetic  needle  makers 
from  all  parts,  bringing  with  them  useful  contrivances 
connected  with  their  art,  and  thus  this  manufacture 
became  concentrated  on  the  borders  of  the  counties  of 
"War-v^ick  and  Worcester.  The  fii'st  Long  Crendon 
needle  makers  who  came  into  this  locality  settled  at 
Alcester,  and  were  employed  by  William  Mascoul,  a 
manufacturer  in  that  town.  About  the  year  1785, 
Michael  Morrall  who  had  been  taught  the  art  by 
his  maternal  imcle,  Charles  Kawlins,  removed  from 
Alcester  to  Washford  Mill,  Studley,  and  entered  into 
partnership  with  his  brother  Abel,  and  John  Archer, 
their  brother  in  law. 

In  1790,  two  and  a  half  millions  of  needles  were 
made  per  week  in  this  district  one  million  of  which 
were  made  by  Morrall,  Archer,  and  Morrall  of  WasIT- 
ford  Mill,  Studley.  Many  inprovements  were  made 
by  this  hi'm  in  the  art  of  needle  making.  In  1793, 
Michael  Morrall  made  some  experiments  in  di-illing 
the  eyes,  which  induced  the  firm  to  engage  Charles 
Davis,  a  watchmaker  of  Alcester,  to  di-ill  needles  for 
them.  They  were  introduced  into  the  market  for  sale, 
but  were  declined  in  consequence  of  the  price  being  so 
much  higher  than  had  been  paid  for  them  before  the 
eyes  were  drilled.  Drilling  was,  therefore,  discontin- 
ued, the  fii-m  ha-sing  sustained  a  considerable  loss  by 
the  experiment.  !Many  attempts  were  made  by  this 
firm  to  induce  the  needle  pointers  to  use  respirators 
to  prevent  the  dust  entering  then*  lungs,  but  the 
workmen  refused  to  use  them  ;  the  pointers'  impression 
evidently  being,  if  he  made  use  of  any  contrivance 
which  would  lengthen  his  life,  it  would  at  the  same 

+i7np  fi3T»f1   fn  vAflnnp  fViP  nmmTnf  nf  T^no-ps  Tip  nmilfl  ftarn. 


OF   liTEEDLE   MAKEN'G.  15 

Thi-ee  rewards  have  been  given  by  the  Society  of 
Arts,  for  the  invention  of  machinery,  as  a  substitute 
for  manual  labour  in  pointing  needles — one  to  Thomas 
Wood  of  Berkhamstead,  in  1811;  one  to  George  Prior 
of  Otley,  in  1813,  and  one  to  Thos.  Eoberts  of  Dum- 
fries, in  1815. 

Needle  pointing  may  be  thus  described: — we  will 
suppose  the  workman  to  be  seated  in  front  of  a  grind- 
stone revohing  at  a  velocity  of  from  tv\^o  to  three 
thousand  times  per  minute,  he  takes  up  from  fift^^  to 
a  hundred  wii'es,  spreads  them  out  so  that  they  lie 
singly  (but  close  together,)  wdth  their  ends  perfectly 
even,  and  then  introduces  them  between  the  palms  of 
his  hands,  which  are  brought  together  so  that  the  fin- 
gers on  one  side  point  tovrards  the  ^Tist  on  the  other, 
the  ends  of  the  ^dres  are  then  pressed  upon  the  grind- 
stone, and  by  a  slight  motion  of  the  hands  to  and  fro, 
each  ^ire  is  made  to  tm-n  on  its  axis  at  the  same  time, 
and  thus  they  are  all  pointed  perfectly  and  beautifully 
at  once,  and  with  incredible  rapidity.  But  whilst  we 
are  looking  on,  admiring  the  brilliancy  of  the  scintil- 
lations produced  by  the  friction,  lighting  up  the  squalid 
face  of  the  operative,  and  thinking  it  forms  a  scene 
worthy  of  a  Eembrandt,  we  are  crossed  by  a  reflection 
upon  the  deadly  character  of  the  work, — those  verj- 
sparks  which  give  a  character  to  the  scene,  carry  death 
in  their  path,  for  fatal  experience  has  told  us  that  where 
the  workmen  are  daily  exposed  to  the  influence  of  the 
dust  produced  by  the  grindstones,  six  or  seven  years 
will  be  sufficient  to  terminate  their  existence. 

It  is  horrible  to  think  that  any  portion  of  oui'  fellow 
creatures  should  be  subject  to  such  an  ordeal,  but  from 
the  high  rate  of  remimeration  offered,  and  the  fact  that 
there  are  many  who,  fi^om  loss  of  character,  are  not 
enabled  to  obtain  employment  at  other  branches  of  the 
business,  no  difficulty  has  hitherto  been  found  in 
obtaining  a  sufficient  number  of  operatives  to  perform 
the  work. 

Chapter  YI. 

About  1790,  John  Farr,  a  retired  button  maker, 


16  HTSTOP.T  AXD   DESCEITTTON 

commenced  making  sail  and  packing  needles  at  Alees- 
ter,  by  means  of  dies  fixed  in  a  stamp,  after  tke  man- 
ner of  making  buttons.  These  kinds  of  needles  -were 
also  cast  in  moulds  by  AVilliam  Connor,  at  Broomsgrove. 
At  tMs  time,  also,  James  Cook  commenced  making 
bodkins  by  stamps  in  Stndley.  Tbis  may  be  said  to 
be  tbe  introduction  of  the  stamp  for  needle  making:  it 
bo\reTer  made  but  little  progi-ess  and  the  needle  makers 
had  no  idea  of  using  the  stamp  for  the  smaller  kinds 
of  needles  untill  about  the  year  1800,  when  a  Birming- 
ham factor,  who  happened  to  be  on  business  at  Wash- 
ford  Mill,  expressed  his  surprise  that  stamps  and  presses 
were  not  used  in  the  needle  making.  The  idea  thus 
thi'o-^Ti  out  was  immediately  acted  upon,  and  a  press 
was  invented  and  introduced  in  the  above  mill,  and 
the  attempt  made  to  form  100  needles  at  a  time  ;  but 
they  could  not  succeed  in  making  more  than  35.  This 
process  was  very  complicated,  vnd.  was  discontinued  in 
consequence  of  the  disappearance  of  Charles  Davis, 
the  person  who  worked  the  machine.  He  was  foimd 
some  time  afterwards  in  Birmingham,  making  needles 
by  stamp  and  press,  and  retui-ned  to  Alcester  and  made 
needles  for  Greorge  Pardowe,  of  Coughton. 

The  fii'm  of  Morrall,  Archer  and  MorraU,  received 
a  large  Russian  order,  and  gave  a  bond  to  have  it 
ready  at  a  certain  time,  but  the  slow  process  of  filing 
needles  prevented  them  from  ha^v-ing  the  order  execu- 
ted soon  enough :  the  bond  was  consequently  forfeited, 
and  the  order  countermanded.  All  orders  for  needles 
from  the  same  source  have  invariably,  since  then,  been 
sent  to  Germany  instead  of  England.  This  firm  sus- 
tained considerable  losses  through  Napoleon  over-run- 
ning Europe.  Their  trade  had  diminished  because  of 
the  war.  The  sword  makers  in  Birmingham  were 
fully  employed  at  this  time,  but  the  needle  makers  were 
without  work.  This  firm  (the  largest  in  the  neighbour- 
hood) stopped ;  they  were  able  to  pay  aU  demands,  but 
could  not  keep  on  the  business.  Two  firms  at  Redditch, 
began  by  Richard  Hemming  and  WiUiam  Bartlett, 
took  most  of  the  orders  for  needles;  and  these  two 

42-Mwtn    T»rtt-r/\   T\/%/\v»    o4*    4-V^ri     Vii^o/1    rwP  4*ria     4~t*QAci   IT*      T? /:^rl/^■^'f /^ri 


OF  NEEDLE  MAKING.  17 

In  1811,  Abel  and  Micliael  Morrall,  sons  of  the 
before-named  M.  Morrail,  commenced  stamping  nee- 
dles, and  introduced  the  first  eye  into  the  needles  by 
means  of  the  stamp.  What  is  meant  by  the  first  eye 
is  an  indenture  half  through  the  head  of  the  needle. 
Abel  Morrall  also  contrived  a  punch  to  make  the  eye 
of  two  needles  at  each  pull  of  the  press ;  and  several 
others  began  to  use  the  stamp  and  the  press  ;  but  so 
strong  is  prejudice,  however,  that  long  after  this  plan 
had  been  introduced,  it  was  found  necessary  to  remove 
the  regularity  of  appearance  which  needles  so  made 
presented,  to  make  them  in  fact,  appear  like  hand-made 
needles  in  order  to  sell  them. 

Needle  making  was  introduced  in  Hathersage,  in 
1810,  by  Samuel  Cocker,  who  had  learned  the  art  at 
Bank  Top,  in  Manchester,  and  also  worked  at  Chester 
for  William  Evans,  a  needle  manufacturer  in  that  City. 
Cocker  had  learned  the  old  system  of  needle  making  ; 
he  therefore,  in  1812,  engaged  a  person  who  had  learned 
needle  making  from  the  Morralls  at  Washford  Mills, 
named  Robert  Cook,  to  make  needles  by  machinery. 
The  workpeople  of  course  came  from  the  same  part  as 
R.  Cook,  so  that  they  were  continually  leaving  Hath-  ■ 
ersage,  and  returned  to  their  old  homes  in  Warwick- 
shire. 

R.  Cook  continued  in  Cocker's  employment  for  nine 
years.  In  1821  he  commenced  for  himself,  and  the 
two  firms  carried  on  in  Hathersage  ;  but  of  late  years 
the  trade  has  gradually  declined. 

In  1823,  Abel  Morrall  invented  a  small  machine  for 
filing  100  needles  at  a  time.  This  was  kept  private, 
and  answered  well.  It  was  communicated  to  James 
Pardowe,  of  Studley,  by  William  WoodaU,  who  worked 
(previously  to  his  engagement  with  James  Pardowe) 
for  Abel  Morrall. 

James   Pardowe  was  the  first  manufacturer  who 
introduced  steam  power  into  his  mill  for  pointing  an  d 
scouring  needles,  but  water  power  is  generally  used 
when  it  can  be  had. 

The  process  of  gilding  the  eyes  of  needles,  was  in- 


■  18  HISTOKY  A^'D    DESCRIPTIOX 

troduced  at  a  mamifaetory  in  Exeter  Eo^,  Bii'ming- 
ham,  by  Scambler  Brothers,  assisted  by  two  of  Charles 
Rawlins's  sons  ;  the  idea  was  taken  from  the  gilt 
button  makers.  Scambler  obtained  a  patent  for  this 
process,  but  the  other  makers  set  it  aside  thi'ough  the 
specihcation  being  wrongly  laid  for  an  improyement, 
instead  of  an  ornament,  to  the  needles.  This  process 
is  now  only  used  for  common  qualities  for  exportation 
and  labelled,  "AMiiteehapelXeedles." 

The  following  sad  story  of  smart  trading  may  cause 
uncomfortable  feelings  in  some  quarters  when  brought 
to  recollection: — Do  we  not  know  of  certain  pm-chases, 
made  by  certain  simple  Africans :  the  purchase  money 
on  om*  side  being  needles, —  "TThitechapel  Sharps," 
duly  gilded  at  the  head — which  were  found  after  the 
departure  of  the  traders,  to  be  without  eyes  I  It  is  a 
sad  stoiy.  The  Redditch  needle  makers  who  prepare 
gilt  "AVhitechapel  Sharps"  for  the  African  market, 
say,  that  they  dont  belieye  it ;  that  the  needles  were 
of  a  coarse  and  ill-finished  kind,  but  they  were  neyer 
blind,  yet  the  testimony  is  so  sti'ong,  and  the  effects 
of  the  cheat  were  so  serious  in  damaging  oiu-  commer- 
cial character  among  the  sayages,  that  we  fear  there 
can  haye  been  no  mistake.  If  we  laugh  at  such  stories 
it  is  with  a  weeping  heart,  for  tricks  like  these  done 
in  any  corner  where  new  races  are  found,  are  a  graye 
misfortime  to  the  whole  human  race. 

"We  know  that  about  thirty  years  ago,  one  firm 
sent  out  needles  without  any  filing,  so  as  to  render 
them  almost  useless. 

Chapter  YII. 

Abel  Morrall  had  for  a  considerable  timeentertain- 
ed  the  idea  that  needles  would  pass  thi-oiigh  the  work 
with  greater  ease,  if  made  without  the  grooye.  He 
made  a  small  assortment  of  them,  which  were  intro- 
diiced  into  London  by  Edward  ^lorrall,  in  1 82o.  These 
needles  were  approyed  of;  but  the  difficulty  of  making 
them  preyented  A.  MorraU  from  proceeding  with  the 
grooyeless   needles   at  that  time.     A  few  grooyeless 


OF   XEEDLE   MAKING.  19 

facturer  of  Stiidley ;  but  they  did  not  take  with  the 
public. 

The  drilled-eyed  needles  were  soon  after  success- 
fully brought  out  by  William  Grreen,  of  Astwood,  who 
had  seen  the  drills  formerly  used  at  Washford  Mill, 
He  was  supplied  with  needles  by  Abel  Morrall,  and 
sold  them  to  the  tailors  and  other  users  of  needles, 
who  soon  began  to  ask  for  the  drill-eyed  needles  at 
the  needle  shops  ;  and  thus  they  came  into  general  use. 
Grreen  drilled  the  square  eyed  needles  with  great  care. 
The  reader  should  bear  in  mind  that  the  eyes  are  not 
made  with  a  drill ;  the  punch  makes  the  eye,  and 
the  intention  of  di'illing  is  to  clear  the  eye,  and  prevent 
the  cutting  of  the  thread.  Every  mechanic  knows  that 
the  eye  ^iJl  be  rough  after  the  drill,  and  much  trouble 
is  taken  to  clear  the  roughness  out  of  the  eye  by  some 
manufacturers,  and  yet  after  all  their  tTouble  needles 
would  be  less  liable  to  cut  the  thread  if  never  di'illed 
at  all.  This  may  perhaps  appear  strange  to  the  reader ; 
but  let  him  examine  a  needle  when  magnihed,  and  he 
will  see  the  sharp  edges  caused  by  drilliug.  It  also 
appears  strange  that  needles  were  made  Tvith  square 
eyes,  yet  such  is  the  fact;  and  long  after  drilling  came 
into  use,  the  needle  makers  continued  to  make  the 
eyes  with  square  punches,  and  then  drill  them,  Abel 
Morrall  was  the  first  to  use  a  round  punch  in  making 
the  eye  of  the  needle. 

Needles  are  now  drilled  by  children,  in  a  careless 
manner,  as  they  have  to  drill  a  certain  quantity  per 
day  ;  and,  of  course,  they  are  more  anxious  about  the 
green  fields  and  shady  lanes  than  they  are  in  drilling 
needles — ''warranted  to  carry  a  large  thread  and  not 
to  cut  in  the  eye  or  di-ag  at  the  head." 

The  method  usually  adopted  for  this  piu-pose  is 
what  is  technically  called  "counter-sinking."  It 
amounts  to  tliis  :  a  girl,  seated  in  front  of  the  small 
lathe  in  which  a  drill  is  kept  running  at  a  high  speed, 
takes  betw^een  the  forefinger  and  thumb  of  her  left 
hand  from  thirty  to  forty  needles,  vnth  the  heads 
downwards,  then  by  dexterously  passing  the  edge  of  a 
knife  along  the  eyes,  causes  them  all  to  lie  one  way ; 


20  HISTOEY  AND  DESCRIPTION 

the  eyes  are  now  touclied  one  at  a  time  upon  tlie  drills 
by  which  the  edges  of  the  apertiu*e  are  removed — then 
by  a  slight  movement  of  the  linger  all  the  needles  are 
turned  to  present  the  other  sides  of  the  eyes,  which 
are  treated  in  a  similar  manner  and  they  are  then  left 
as  iinished. 

Our  reader  will  bear  in  mind  that  the  object  to  be 
attained  is  a  perfectly  smooth  eye,  one  that  shall  be 
free  fi-om  any  biuT,  in  order  that  the  thi-ead  shall  not 
be  injured ;  but  let  the  di-ill  employed  be  as  sharp  and 
perfect  as  it  may,  it  will  diive  up  a  biuT  before  it, 
which,  in  this  case,  will  be  left  in  the  centre  of  the 
eye,  the  worst  position  it  could  occupy. 

About  this  time  an  improvement  was  inti'oduced  by 
Abner  Mellen,  of  Redditch,  which  consisted  of  a  pe- 
culiar mode  of  di'essing  buffs  used  in  polishing  needles. 
This  appears  to  be  the  only  improvement  made  in  the 
art  at  Redditch,  which  is  certainly  cmious  when  we 
consider  its  fame  as  a  needle  making  place.  The  me- 
chanical part  of  the  trade  has  always  been  done  out 
of  Eedditch.  Xeedles  were  made  there  by  hand,  but 
none  were  made  bymachinery  until  about  the  year  1828. 

The  hand-workers  prices  were  much  reduced  by  the 
machines.  Each  contended  that  his  method  was  the 
best ;  and  by  the  year  1830,  some  of  the  ''stampers" 
as  the  machine-men  were  called,  had  removed  to  Red- 
ditch.  In  the  autimm  of  this  year  the  hand-workers 
came  to  the  determination  of  breaking  all  the  machines 
in  Redditch,  which  they  carried  into  effect,  and  were 
proceeding  to  Studley,  when  theii*  leader  was  taken 
into  custody  by  Shailer,  then  constable  of  Studley. 
Eight  men  were  lodged  in  prison  at  Worcester,  and 
were  sentenced  by  the  Judge  at  the  assizes  to  terms 
varying  from  six  to  eighteen  months'  imprisonment. 
The  hand-workers  saw  it  was  hopeless  to  attempt  to 
stop  the  machines,  so  they  came  to  the  ^ise  conclusion 
to  give  up  their  old  system,  and  learn  to  make  needles 
by  machinery ;  and  the  two  leading  firms  in  Redditch, 
W.  Hemming  &  Sons,  and  AV.  Bartleet  &  Sons,  pre- 
vailed upon  the  master  stampers  to  teach  them,  &  as  far 
as  possible,  find  them  employment.    The  hand- workers 


OF  NEEDLE   MAKTN-G.  21 

were  vrell  satisfied  with  tlie  change :  and  thus  came 
to  a  conchision  the  long-disputed  question  between  the 
old  and  new  systems  of  needle  making.  Till  within 
a  few  years  one  man  in  the  district  made  needles 
by  hand  This  individual,  William  Bradbury,  of 
Studley,  entered  into  an  arrangement  with  a  London 
house  before  the  introduction  of  machines,  to  make 
needles  for  them  as  long  as  he  should  be  able  to  work, 
and  to  be  kept  by  them  in  constant  emplojTuent  at  a 
stated  price  ;  and  the  old  firm  foimd  their  old  work- 
man his  work  and  wages  up  to  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  happened  suddenly  in  1853. 

Before  the  introduction  of,  or  rather  before  the 
making  of  needles  by  machinery  generally,  in  1824, 
only  five  millions  were  made  in  this  district  per  week, 
while  in  1847,  n.fty  millions  were  made  in  the  same 
time. 

Many  of  the  hand-workers  who  were  too  old  to 
learn  the  new  way  of  making  needles  ;  were  now  em- 
ployed in  soft  straightening,  a  process  common  to  both 
ways  of  making  them ;  but  this  was  not  to  last  long, 
for  Abel  MorraU  invented  a  machine  for  straightening, 
which  would  do  more  work  in  one  hour  than  could  be 
done  by  hand  in  twelve.  The  invention  was  kept 
private,  and  it  is  now  superseded,  as  the  process  of 
soft  straightening  is  dispensed  with. 

Chliptee  YIII. 

Abel  Morrall  had  been  for  several  years  endeavom*- 
ing  to  make  oval-eyed  needles ;  the  great  difficultj^ 
being  to  prevent  the  eye  from  cutting  the  tlu-ead. 
At  length  he  invented  a  machine  for  burnishing  the 
eyes,  and  took  out  a  patent  for  the  same  in  1839. 
He  then  entered  into  an  engagement  with  W.  Bartleet 
&  Sons,  to  make  oval-eyed  needles  for  them,  and 
burnish  them  with  his  patent  machine.  The  other 
needle  makers  seeing  it  to  be  a  great  improvement, 
entered  into  a  league  to  disprove  his  right  to  the  pa- 
tent. It  was  the  wish  of  the  manufacturers,  except 
W.  Hemming,  to  infringe  on  the  patent ;  but  he  pro- 
tested against  this  mode  of  action,  informing  them 


22  HISTOEY   AND  DESCEIPTIOX 

that  Abel  Morrall,  had  as  great  a  right  to  the  patent 
as  he  had  to  any  other  property,  until  they  proved  to 
the  satisfaction  of  a  eoiu't  of  law  that  he  had  no  legal 
claim  to  it ;  and  he,  W.  Hemming,  would  not  infi-inge 
on  any  man's  rights,  but  would  A^ithdraw  from  the 
league  immediately  if  any  one  infi'inged  upon  it. 
He  wished  them  rather  to  prove  that  A.  Morrall  had 
no  right  to  the  patent.  The  case  was  accordingly 
brought  to  trial — Heroming  and  others,  v.  the  Queen 
—and  was  decided  in  favoiu'  of  the  patentees.  The 
eedle  makers  then  cndeavoiu-ed  to  improve  on  the 
patent,  but  did  not  succeed.  They  then  obtained  one 
for  certain  parts  disclaimed  before  the  trial  of  Abel 
Morrall's  patent,  which  they  termed  Helix-eyed  ne- 
dles. 

During  the  pending  of  tliis  question,  trade  was  veiy 
bad  in  this  district,  and  Abel  Morrall  had  an  offer 
from  France  to  go  to  that  countiy,  and  superintend 
some  English  needle  makers  abeady  established  there. 
The  French  government  offered  to  increase  the  duty 
on  English  needles,  which  has  since  been  done  ;  but 
A.  Morrall  preferred  staying  in  England,  and  making 
an  assortment  of  grooveless  needles  He  sent  his 
nephew,  Michael  T.  Morrall,  in  1841,  to  introduce 
them  in  Lancashii-e,  Yorkshii-e,  and  other  adjoining 
ooimties.  These  needles  were  approved  of  in  the  north 
of  England,  and  in  the  spring  of  1843,  they  were  in- 
troduced into  London,  but  M.  T.  Morrall  could  not 
induce  the  shopkeepers  to  tiy  the  needles,  so  he  gave 
a  quantity  to  the  men  employed  in  the  large  tailors' 
shops  at  the  "West  End,"  wliich  soon  brought  them 
into  demand  in  the  trimming  shops  of  London  ;  from 
which  time  Abel  Morrall  has  received  the  general 
support  of  the  tailors  in  all  parts  of  the  United  Iving- 
dom. 

According  to  the  speciiication  of  Abel  Morrall's 
patent  machine,  for  Superseding  Drilling  his  needles 
pass  tlu'ough  a  process  which  pierces  an  eye  nearly  two 
sizes  larger  than  any  other  needle,  and  is  constructed 
on  such  a  principle  as  to  remove  every  minute  angle, 
biuT,  and  rough  edge,  and  to  clean  smootlily  away 


OF  NEEDLE   MAKING.  23 

any  other  cutting  particle  that  may  have  been  left  in 
the  eye  of  the  needle,  which  no  other  operation  has 
hitherto  been  able  to  effect,  thereby  rendering  it  im- 
possible to  cut  the  thread.  Morrall's  patent  method 
of  clearing  the  eye  may  be  described  as  follows  : —  a 
piece  of  tine  steel  wire  is  slightly  roughened  upon  its 
surface  throughout  its  length,  which  after  being  hard- 
ened and  tempered,  may  be  likened  to  a  fine  file  ;  this 
wire  is  run  through  the  eyes  of  about  a  hundred  needles, 
and  its  ends  being  made  fast,  the  needles  are  then  put 
into  a  violent  motion.  The  result  is  ob-sT.ous.  The 
metal  inside  the  eyes  is  gradually  worn  away,  until  at 
the  end  of  about  an  hour  and  a  half  it  has  become  as 
smooth  as  a  piece  of  glass ;  sharp  edges,  burrs,  rough- 
ness of  all  kinds  being  entirely  removed  from  its 
vicinity;  and  when  (the  needles  being  nearly  completed) 
this  operation  is  repeated,  it  leaves  the  inside  of  the 
eye  as  bright  as  the  exterior  portion  of  the  needle, 
adding  one  more  example  to  the  many  already  existing 
of  the  best  results  being  obtained  by  the  simplest 
means. 

Chaptee  IX. 
In  1840,  Joseph  Turner,  a  needle  manufactui-er,  of 
Redditch,  revived  the  practice  of  hardening  needles 
in  oil  instead  of  water,  as  the  oil  did  not  crook 
them  so  much,  and  therefore  the  same  labour  in 
straightening  them  was  not  required.  Hardening  is 
effected  by  making  the  needles  red  hot  in  an  oven, 
and  suddenly  throwing  them  into  a  tub  of  cold  water. 
This  sudden  cooling  of  the  steel  makes  it  as  brittle  as 
a  piece  of  glass.  The  needles  will  now  break  almost 
with  a  touch,  indeed,  in  this  condition,  they  would  be 
as  useless  as  in  the  soft  state;  but  by  raising  their  tem- 
perature to  about  600  degrees,  and  by  allowing  them 
to  cool  gradually,  the  required  degree  of  elasticity  is 
given.  The  needles  now  require  considerable  force  to 
break  them,  and  if  bent  should  spring  into  a  perfectly 
straight  line.  The  hardening  and  tempering  processes 
are  very  defective  at  the  present  time,  and  there  is 
ample  scope  for  improvement  in  this  department  in  the 
construction  of  an  apparatus  for  ascertaining  the  heat 


24  HISTORY   AXD  DESCRIPTIOX 

of  the  fire  instead  of  the  hardener  being  left  to  liis 
own  judgement.  The  crooked  needles  are  mostly 
straightened  by  women  at  their  own  houses.  The 
straighteners  assembled  at  Eedditeh,  and  passed  res- 
olutions to  put  down  the  process  of  hardening  in  oil. 
Joseph  Turner  was  several  times  mobbed  at  lledditoh, 
and  at  length  removed  to  Sti^atford-on-Avon,  but 
finding  that  town  unsuitable  for  needle  making,  he 
retui-ned  to  Redditch,  when  the  public  opinion  had 
cooled  down.  All  the  commoner  qualities  of  needles 
are  now  hardened  in  oil,  but  it  is  foimd  not  to  answer 
for  better  goods.  The  straightening  of  needles  is  a 
very  tedious  process,  and  often  very  imperfectly  per- 
formed, the  marks  of  the  hammer  being  fi-equently 
left  on  them. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that,  although  so  many  needles 
are  hardened  in  oil,  yet  the  straighteners  all  find 
constant  emplojTnent. 

About  this  time  Dr.  Holland  inti'oduced  the  fan- 
blower  in  connexion  with  the  grindstone,  by  the 
proper  application  of  which  the  dust  is  eftcctually 
removed  from  the  workshop  to  the  exterior  of  the 
building.  Dr.  Holland's  fans  soon  came  into  use  in 
Sheflield  and  Hathersage  ;  but  no  attem^it  was  made 
to  inti-oduce  them  in  the  needle  district.  In  1842,  A. 
Morrall  made  an  improvement  in  darning  needles,  by 
making  the  eyes  oval ;  by  this  means  they  are  much 
easier  to  thi-ead,  and  from  which  they  derive  theu- 
names,  rh.  "Egg-eyed  Darners,"  the  eyes  are  also 
biu'ni'^hed  by  the  patent  process. 

In  1844  the  operative  needle  makers  formed  a 
trades'  union  among  themselves.  In  1846  the  needle 
pointers  "struck"  for  an  advance  of  wages,  although 
thoy  were  earning  from  2£  to  as  high  as  6£  per  week. 
Only  little  sldU  or  labour  is  requii-ed  in  the  process  of 
pointing ;  but  in  consequence  of  the  needles  being 
groimd  on  a  dry  stone,  the  dust  is  inhaled  by  the 
pointer,  and  settles  on  his  lungs,  so  that  his  life  is 
of  short  duration,  seldom  exceeding  35  years. 

Their  wages  were  mostly  spent  in  intoxicating 
liquors  and  other  degrading  practices,   theii-  maxim 


OF   ^^:EDLE   MAKING.  25 

being  *'a  short  life  and  a  merry  one."  The  pointers 
were  about  the  most  degraded  part  of  the  population 
of  the  district :  only  about  one  in  six  could  write  his 
own  name.  Benevolent  men  had  often  sought  to 
refoiTu  this  state  of  things.  The  Society  of  Arts 
offered  a  premium  for  the  invention  of  an  apparatus 
which  should  prevent  the  entrance  of  the  dust  into  the 
lungs  of  the  dry  grinder.  In  1821,  J.  H.  Abraham 
of  Sheffield,  sent  to  the  society  a  model  of  a  mouth 
guard,  which  was  approved  of  and  found  to  answer 
when  used  by  the  needle  pointers  ;  but  they  refused  to 
use  it  for  no  other  reason  than  the  fear  that  it  would 
tend  to  reduce  their  wages.  The  poraters  continued 
to  act  thus  tni  the  time  of  the  before-mentioned  strike 
in  1846.  The  manufacturers  refused  to  give  the  ad- 
vance, and  the  money  of  the  pointers  was  at  length  all 
gone,  so  that  the  greatest  distress  prevailed  amongst 
them. 

The  masters  now  called  a  meeting  to  arrange  the  pri- 
ces to  be  paid  to  the  poraters;  for  some  sorts  of  needles 
the  prices  were  advanced,  and  for  others  reduced.  It 
was  also  arranged  that  Abel  Morrall  should  go  to 
Sheffield,  to  inspect  the  fans  used  by  the  griaders, 
and  bring  back  a  report  to  the  needle  manufactiu"ers, 
which  was  done,  and  the  fans  introduced  into  some  of 
the  mills  that  were  under  the  control  of  manufacturers. 
This  strike  continued  nearly  twelve  months,  and  the 
pointing  being  one  of  the  lirst  processes,  before  the 
strike  was  at  an  end  almost  all  the  needle  makers  were 
out  of  work,  and  the  manufacturers'  stocks  were  sold  off. 

The  pointers  had  not  only  to  contend  with  the 
manufacturers,  but  the  public  opinion  was  against 
them ;  the  press  also  took  up  the  subject,  and  the 
pointers  at  last  beginning  to  doubt  the  goodness  of  theu' 
cause  \^ished  to  return  to  their  work  again  on  the 
terms  proposed  by  the  manufacturers.  Although  the 
pointers  began  to  use  the  fans  with  great  reluctance, 
they  soon  came  to  approve  of  the  new  system ;  as  be- 
fore the  introduction  of  these  fans  the  workmen  were 
enveloped  in  dust,  which  prevented  them  having  glass 
■wdndows  in  their  part  of  the  mill — the  Light  being  ad- 


26  HISTOEY  A^D   DESCEIPTION 

mitted  by  holes  witli  wooden  lids  over  them.  The  fans 
are  constructed  with  a  kind  of  funnel  placed  immedi- 
ately behind  the  grindstone,  which  has  a  metal  tube 
extending  to  a  box  atthe  bottom  of  the  stone,  in  which 
the  fan  revolves,  thereby  producing  a  draught  of  air 
down  the  fimnel  which  takes  off  the  particles  of  dust, 
leaving  none  to  ily  about  the  room. 

It  may  be  said  that  this  arrangement  has  been 
generally  employed  about  12  or  14  years,  and  already 
a  markei  change  is  evident  in  the  needle  pointers  as 
a  body,  they  are  no  longer  that  dissipated  class  they 
were, '  although  much  yet  remains  for  improvement. 

Some  years  previous  to  the  pointers'  strike,  a 
pointing  machine  was  invented  by  one  of  the  Cockers, 
a  wire  manufacturer  of  Hathersage.  The  machine 
could  not  compete  -vsith  the  pointers  in  speed,  there- 
fore it  was  not  used.  At  the  time  of  the  strike  it 
was  sent  to  the  needle  manufacturers  at  Eedditch, 
but  was  purchased  by  the  pointers  and  broken. 

A  case  of  needles  was  sho~«Ti  by  Cocker  &  Son,  of 
Hathersage,  and  one  by  Cocker  &  Son,  of  Sheffield,  at 
the  Great  Exhibition  of  '51  ;  but  we  are  informed 
that  no  needles  are  made  in  Sheffield  at  the  present 
time,  and  R.  Cook,  is  the  only  needle  maufacturer  at 
Hathersage. 

Chapter  X. 

The  question  has  often  been  asked  in  magazines, 
why  are  needles  made  in  Eedditch,  when  there  is  no 
river  nor  any  apparent  cause  likely  to  attract  needle 
making  to  that  place  l"  This  question  may  be  answer- 
ed by  stating,  that  of  late  years  public  writers  have 
treated  needle  making  too  much  as  alledditch  question, 
taking  it  for  granted  that  the  art  of  needle  making 
took  its  rise  in  that  place  ;  but  it  is  not  more  than  40 
or  50  years  since  Eedditch  was  only  a  third  rate  nee- 
dle making  village ;  and  in  1 700  a  greater  quantity  of 
needles  were  made  by  one  lii'm  in  Studley,  than  were 
produced  by  all  the  needle  makers  at  Eedditch. 

In  1700,  Studley  was  the  principal  place  for  needle 
making  in  that  locality,  and  the  trade  is  supposed  to 


OP  NEEBLE  MAKTKG.  27 

have  taken  its  rise  at  Stndley :  a  very  pretty  village 
and  parish,  in  the  County  of  War-wick ;  it  is  15  miles 
Soiith  of  Birmingham,  4  North  of  Alcester,  and  only 
3  mil^s  from  Redditch.  Although  there  is  no  trace 
of  any  river  at  Redditch,  there  is  a  small  rapid  stream, 
called  the  river  Arrow,  which  takes  its  rise  at  the 
Lickey  Hills,  near  Broomsgrove  ;  and  when  it  enters^ 
TVar-svdckshire  it  is  a  good  sized  and  useful  stream. 
It  passes  through  Studley  and  Alcester ;  and  turns  a 
goodly  number  of  old  mills  used  in  grinding  and 
scorning  needles.  Emery  stones  are  found  in  this 
stream,  which  are  ground  to  powder  in  the  mills,  and 
used  with  oil  and  soft  soap  in  scouring  needles. 

These  are  all  the  processes  in  needle  making  re- 
quii'ing  mill  power.  The  wire  and  other  necessaries 
in  the  art  can  easily  be  procured  in  Birmingham;  and 
the  Birmingham  factors  send  off  large  quantities 
of  needles,  with  other  goods  to  all  parts  of  the 
world.  There  may  be  other  reasons  why  needles  are 
made  there;  as  all  attempts  to  make  it  into  a  staple 
trade  of  any  other  district,  have  so  far  been  unsuccess- 
ful. It  is  very  difficult  to  establish  a  needle  manufac- 
tory out  of  the  needle  district.  As  a  general  rule  only 
the  worst  workmen  can  be  obtained,  as  the  others  will 
not  leave  theii-  own  district,  those  who  do,  only  remain 
a  short  time ;  so  that  the  manufacturer  cannot  depend 
upon  liis  workmen  stopping  with  him.  The  people  of' 
other  districts  do  not  easily  learn  the  art — ^those  who 
have  tried  to  establish  this  branch  of  manufacture  in 
Birmingham,  say,  that  the  children  do  not  learn  so 
soon  to  be  useful  in  a  needle  manufactory  as  the 
natives  of  Redditch  or  Studley ;  therefore  if  the  man- 
ufactm-er  succeeds  in  establishing  himself  no  other 
maniifacturer  will  foUow  him,  and  in  all  probability 
he  T\dll  not  be  able  to  make  the  best  goods  for  a  con- 
siderable time.  The  workmen  who  went  from  the 
needle  disti-ict  to  France,  returned  long  before  the 
expiration  of  the  time  for  which  they  were  engaged. 
There  is  a  needle  manufactory  at  Chesterfield,  estab- 
lished by  Henry  Essex,  of  Studley,  who  is  now 
endeavouring  to  introduce  needle  making  into  the 
state  of  New  York. 


28  HISTOET  AND  DESCEIPTION 

An  attempt  was  made  about  ten  years  ago  by  a 
London  bouse,  to  establisb  a  needle  manufactory  at 
Long  Crendon  ;  but  it  bas  recently  removed  to  Red- 
ditch.  Xeedles  bave  been  made  at  Long  Crendon  ever 
fiince  tbe  time  of  Cromwell ;  but  tbe  needles  made  in 
tliis  tillage  were  principally  sail,  packing,  and  surgeons' 
needles,  also  netting  needles  and  knitting  pins.  Tbis 
txade  was  carried  on  in  private  bouses,  in  tbe  same 
way  in  wbicb  needles  were  generally  made  in  tbe 
Seventeentb  Century.  Tbere  is  no  river  at  Long 
Crendon,  and  it  is  by  no  means  well  situated  for  needle 
making.  An  attempt  was  once  made  in  tbis  ^-illage 
to  scour  tbeir  needles  by  wind  mills,  but  it  did  not 
answer.  Fisb  books  were  also  made  bere,  and  in  tbe 
neigbbourbood  of  Eedditcb,  but  it  is  quite  a  seperate 
trade  from  needle  making ;  but  tbey  are  often  sold  by 
needle  manufactui-ers.  Steel  crochet  books,  and  all 
kinds  of  needles  for  fancy  work  are  made  in  tbis 
locality,  by  tbe  workmen  v>'ho  came  from  Long  Cren- 
don, and  tbey  supply  tbe  manufactiu-ers  vriih  them. 
These  goods  are  made  by  hand  in  private  houses. 
Abel  Morrall  was  the  first  to  make  crochet  hooks  by 
stamp  and  press,  for  which  a  London  bouse  unfaiiiy 
obtained  a  patent. 

Chapter  XL 

Most  of  tbe  needle  makers  have  agents  in  London, 
and  many  of  the  London  houses  have  tbeir  own  names 
put  on  the  needle  labels  ;  but  whatever  be  the  names 
or  addresses,  it  is  nearly  certain  the  needles  were 
made  in  the  neighboiu'bood  of  Redditch.  Tbe  inice 
of  needles  varies  from  ninepence  per  thousand  and 
upwards.  The  common  qualities  are  sold  to  Hawkers, 
who  impose  upon  the  public  by  representing  themselves 
to  be  needle  makers  out  of  work.  Xo  respectable 
manufacturer  will  put  his  name  on  needles  sold  by  this 
class,  and  tbe  names  on  such  labels  are  therefore 
fictitious.  The  only  way  to  procure  good  needles  is 
to  go  to  some  well  Ioiotvti  shop,  and  the  best  needles 
should  not  be  charged  more  than  one  shilling  for  a 


OF  JfEEDLE  MAKING.  29 

hundred.  There  are  in  most  toT^Tis  shops  noted  for 
needles,  often  kept  by  a  venerable  old  lady,  and 
these  are  the  best  places  for  good  needles,  thimbles, 
and  other  odds  and  ends ;  those  who  encourage 
hawkers  will  realise  in  their  own  experience,  Mrs. 
Harris'  soliloquy  while  threading  her  needle  : — 

Oh !  dear  a  me,  what  needles  !  well  really  I  must  saj- 
All  things  are  sadly  altered,  for  the  worse  too,  since  my  day; 
The  pins  have  neither  heads  nor  points,  the  needles  have 

no  eyes, 
And  there  is  ne'er  a  pair  of  scissors  of  the  good  old  fash- 
ioned size. 
The  very  bodkins  now  are  made  in  fine  new  fangled  ways; 
And  the  good  old  British  thimble  is  a  dream  of  other  days; 
I'm  sure  I  often  ponder  with  a  kind  of  awful  dread, 
On  those  bold  spinning  jennies  that  go  off  on  their  own 

head ; 
Thcsepower-loomsand  odd  machines,  those  whizzing  things 

with  wheels. 
That  evermore  keep  moving,  besides  one  really  feels 
So  superanuated  like,  and  laid  upon  the  shelf, 
"When  one  sees  a  worsted  stocking  get  up  and  knit  itself  I 

MBS.    »'OETO^^ 

A  stranger  about  to  visit  this  district  for  the  pur- 
pose of  seeing  needles  made,  will  do  best  to  go  free  of 
engagements  with  any  manufactm-er,  as  the  trade  is 
open  to  inspection  throughout  the  needle  making 
villages.  The  visitor  should  proceed  byrail  to  Eedditch, 
thence  to  Alcester,  and  return  to  lledditch  along  the 
river  side.  In  addition  to  the  old  mills  and  the 
beautiful  scenery,  there  are  antiquated  mansions,  ivj- 
clad  churches,  studded  here  and  there,  which  are  sure 
to  interest  and  gratify  the  lover  of  the  picturesque. 
Studley  MUl  belongs  to  the  well  known  firm  of  Abel 
MorraU,  which  was  the  first  to  bring  out  the  celebra- 
ted grooveless  and  egg-eyed  needles.  Near  to  this 
mill  is  the  old  Priory,  with,  its  stately  avenue  of  ehns 
and  the  sociable  rooks ;  so  often  found  near  ancient 
mansions.  This  Priory  was  founded  by  Lord  Peter 
de  Studley,  in  the  reign  of  Henry  II.  The  old  Manor 
House  is  also  near  to  it.     Farther  on  is  Washford 


30  HISTOEY  AXD  DESCRIPTION 

Mill,  formerly  the  manufactory  oftlie  celebrated  Joliii 
and  Matthew  Mills,  who  removed  to  Beoley  MiU,  and 
were  succeeded  by  Morrall,  Archer,  and  MorraU,  now 
used  by  Millward  &  Sons,  of  Redditch,  for  pointing 
and  scouring  their  needles.  And  near  to  this  mill 
are  Ahel  MorraU' s  needle  works,  and  the  house  of 
Wm.  Bradbury,  the  last  indi\idual  engaged  in  needle 
making  by  hand.  Then  pass  over  the  old  forge  bridge, 
from  which  a  view  of  the  river  is  very  beautiful;  near 
to  it  is  Ipsley  Mill,  and  on  that  eminence  is  the  Parish 
Chm-ch  and  Ipsley  Court,  the  Bii-th  place  of  "Walter 
Savage  Landor.  After  leaving  here,  a  pleasant  walk 
of  a  mile  brings  us  to  Redditch,  which  is  delightfully 
situated  on  a  hill  on  the  western  borders  of  "Worces- 
tershire. The  manufacture  of  needles  and  fish-hooks  is 
carried  on  here  to  a  great  extent.  Opinion  seems 
prevalent  in  the  mind  of  the  public,  that  needle 
making  is  exclusively  confined  to  Redditch — such  is 
not  the  case — the  manufacture  of  needles  is  by  no 
means  confined  to  that  place,  but,  like  the  Potteries  of 
Staffordshire,  it  is  the  staple  trade  of  a  disti-ict,  of 
which  Redditch  may  be  called  the  capital  and  Studley 
the  centre.  And  there  is  scarcely  a  ^-illage  within  ten 
miles  that  does  not  contribute  a  share  of  these  useful 
articles.  The  trade  can  be  traced  to  and  fro  between 
Alcester  and  Studley.  The  oldest  firm  in  Redditch  is 
that  of  H.  Millward  &  Sons ;  it  dates  from  the  year 
1730,  but  at  first  their  needles  where  mostly  made  at 
Studley.  The  next  oldest  firm  in  Redditch  are  the 
Holyoakes  &  Gould.  The  Chillingworths  can-ied  on 
an  extensive  needle  trade  at  the  old  forge  mill,  near 
Redditch.  At  Studley,  in  addition  to  those  other-^-ise 
mentioned,  were  the  elder  Charles  Rawlins,  Himiphi-ey 
Hays,  and  William  Hewitt.  At  Alcester,  William 
Archer,  John  and  Joseph  Scriven,  and  others. 

Chapter  XII. 

Thus  far  have  we  given  a  concise  history  of  the 
progress  of  needle  making  up  to  the  year  1851.  We 
will  now  say  a  little  about  the  machinery  of  Abel 
MoiTall. 


or  NEEDLE  MAKING.  31 

On  its  becoming  knowTi  in  the  needle  district  that 
A.  Morrall  intended  sending  his  needle  machinery 
to  the  Exliibition,  the  needle  makers  remonstrated 
strongly  against  it,  fearing,  as  they  said,  that  foreign- 
ers would  take  the  trade  away  from  the  country ;  but 
when  they  found  him  determined  they  offered  him  a 
large  sum  of  money  to  refrain.  This  he  declined,  and 
still  persisted  in  exhibiting  his  machinery.  Thi'eats 
were  then  held  out  that  Ms  property  would  be  des- 
troyed. Many  letters  passed  between  Abel  Morrall 
and  the  Executive  Committee  of  the  Great  Exhibition; 
the  Committee  being  as  anxious  that  needle  maldng 
should  be  shewn,  as  the  needle  makers  were  that  it 
should  not ;  yet  up  to  the  day  before  the  opening  of  the 
Exhibition,  A.  Morrall  was  undecided  whether  to 
work  his  machinery  or  not,  however,  at  last  he  con- 
cluded to  work  it ;  and  from  the  opening  to  the  close, 
needle  making  attracted  a  large  share  of  public 
attention.  A.  Morrall  exhibited  needle  makiiig  as 
done  by  hand,  in  addition  to  the  machinery,  200, 000 
needles  were  given  away  to  visitors  in  the  month  of 
May.  Many  of  the  nobility  examined  the  machinery 
— the  Duke  of  Wellington  and  the  Duchess  of  Gloces- 
ter  were  frequent  visitors, — a  single  needle  was  made 
for  the  Prince  of  Wales  at  his  own  special  request, 
vdiich  he  took  away.  On  the  16th.  June,  the  Queen, 
Prince  Albert,  and  suite  inspected  the  machinery. 
The  Queen  examined  each  process,  and  was  pleased 
not  only  to  express  her  satisfaction,  but  to  accept 
from  the  inventor  specimens  of  needles  in  their  differ- 
ent stages  of  manufacture.  The  Queen  asked  many 
questions  respecting  the  progress  of  this  useful  art  in 
England — as  to  the  nimiber  of  people  employed  before 
machinerj^  was  introduced — the  quantity  of  needles 
made  per  week, — the  number  of  persons  now  employ- 
ed, and  needles  made.  The  Queen  was  much  pleased 
to  find  that  the  introduction  of  machinery  had  caused 
more  emplojTuent  for  the  people,  and  ordered  the 
questions  and  answers  to  be  entered  in  a  book. 

The  Duchess  of  Kent  afterwards  requested  some 
specimens  the  same  as  presented  to  the  Queen. 


32  mSTOKY  AND   DESCEIPTION 

Needle  making  was  equally  attractiye  to  all  classes, 
a  great  number  of  the  working  people  of  Lancasliire, 
and  Yorkslm-e  brought  home,  at  least,  one  needle 
made  at  the  Exhibition. 

Chaptee  XIII. 

Abel  Morrall's  machinery  is  thus  described  in  the 
catalogue : — 

"jIoekall,  a.,  Studley  Works,  Warwickshire, 
Inyentor  and  Manufacturer  of  machinery  for  maldng 
needles,  viz.,  a  stamp  for  making  the  heads  of  needles; 
a  press,  mth  double  punch,  for  making  the  eyes  of  two 
needles  at  one  time  ;  machinery  for  filing  the  burr  oif 
needles,  caused  by  the  stamping;  a  di-ill;  and  a  model 
of  A.  Morrall's  patent  machine,  which  burnishes  the 
eyes  of  12,000  needles  at  one  time,  and  it  is  computed 
that  a  good  workman  may  caiTy  a  hundred  thousand 
needles  per  day  thi'ough  this  stage,  whilst  in  that  of 
eyeing,  in  which  formerly  only  400  or  500  per  hour 
could  be  completed — 4,000  per  hour  are  now  easily 
produced.  In  the  filing,  500  an  hour  was  under  the 
old  system,  a  fair  amount  of  work,  now,  40,000  in 
a  day  of  ten  hours  is  the  estimated  quantity,  with  the 
additional  advantage  of  true  making. 

OFFICIAL   DESCEIPTIOX   OF   XEEDLE   MAEXN'G. 
SEE   DIAGRAM,    PAGE    1. 

On  the  Case, — Class  No.  22, — and  it  was  honourably 
mentioned. 

The  needle  maker  commences  with  the  wire,  which 
has  been  previously  prepared  for  him,  in  the  form  of 
rolls  about  three  feet  in  diameter— the  size  of  the 
wire  of  course  depending  upon  the  kind  of  needles  to 
be  made.  The  workman  takes  two  or  three  roUs 
together  (in  aU  three  or  foui-  hundred  wires)  and  vdth 
a  pair  of  large  shears  cuts  thi'ough  the  whole.  He 
then  continues  to  cut  ofi"  the  -wires,  so  that  each  may 
be  long  enough  for  two  needles, — as  in  the  emjraviny^ 
Pac/e  1 

The  \\Tres  being  cut,  have  next  to  be  straightened, 
since  each  one  possesses  the  same  degree  of  ciu-vature 


OF  NEEDLE  MAKING.  33 

as  the  roll  from  wliich  it  is  cut.  This  is  eifected 
rapidly  and  perfectly,  by  placing  from  ten  to  fifteen 
thousand  into  two  iron  rings,  which  stand  parallel 
with  each  other,  and  after  having  made  the  whole  red 
hot  in  an  oven,  rubbing  the  wires  to  and  fro  by  a  bar 
of  iron,  which  is  partly  curved,  by  which  means  each 
wire  is  made  to  rotate  upon  its  axis,  and  thus  its 
highest  parts  are  pressed  upon  until  it  is  broiight 
to  a  straight  line — the  whole  operation  not  lasting 
more  than  two  or  three  minutes.  The  wires  are  now 
ready  for  pointing,  bearing  in  mind  that  they  are  each 
long  enough  for  two  needles,  we  can  readily  under- 
stand that  it  will  be  necessary  to  point  both  ends,  in 
fact  they  are  cut  ofi' this  length  in  a  great  measure  for 
the  convenience  of  holding  them.  The  grinder  then 
takes  a  mimber  of  these  pieces  in  his  hand,  and  points 
them,  by  causing  them  to  rotate  on  a  dry  grindstone. 
They  are  now  washed,  then  dried  over  a  fire,  and 
placed  singly  between  two  dies,  which  flattens  the 
wire  in  the  middle,  and  stamps  the  shapes  of  the  heads 
of  two  needles,  with  indentations  for  the  eyes,  and  also 
to  mark  the  place  of  separation.  The  wires  thus  pre- 
pared, are  taken  to  a  hand  press,  and  by  means  of  a 
double  pimch,  both  the  eyes  of  the  twin  needles  are 
made  at  one  time.  The  next  process  is  gone  through 
by  children :  each  child  takes  two  wires  in  its  hand, 
on  which  it  places  about  fifty  double  needles,  to  facil- 
itate the  process  of  filing,  which  is  done  by  fastening 
the  wired  needles  down  on  a  strip  of  wood,  by  means 
of  steel  springs,  worked  by  a  treadle  under  the  foot  of 
the  workman,  who  moves  a  iile  over  the  needles  until 
the  projections  caused  by  stamping  are  removed. 
They  are  now  turned  and  the  other  side  is  filed,  then 
placed  in  a  kind  of  hand- vice,  and  the  upper  part  of 
the  double  needles  are  moved  backwards  and  forwards 
between  the  finger  and  thumb  until  they  are  broken 
into  two.  The  tops  of  the  heads  are  then  filed  round, 
and  the  roughness  removed  from  the  inside  of  the  eye. 
The  needles  are  next  hardened,  by  being  ranged  in 
quantities  on  iron  plates,  and  placed  in  a  furnace  until 
they  are  red  hot,  when  they  are  taken  out  and  emptied 


34  HISTOEY  AXD   DESCEIPTIOX 

into  a  copper,  containing  oil  or  water,  and  then  tem- 
pered by  being  placed  over  a  slow  fire  and  allowed  to  cool 
gradually.  The  crooked  needles  are  now  straightened 
by  a  small  hammer,  one  at  a  time,  on  an  anrU.,  they 
are  then  gathered  together,  and  mixed  with  oil,  soft 
soap,  and  emery  powder,  wrapped  in  loose  canvas,  and 
placed  in  a  kind  of  mangle  worked  by  mill  power,  to 
be  scoured.  They  are  often  taken  out,  washed,  and 
redressed.  This  process  takes  about  a  week,  and  when 
done  the  needles  are  washed  in  hot  water,  and  dried  in 
saw  dust.  "Winnowing  and  sorting  follow.  They  are 
now  spread  out  in  a  line  on  a  piece  of  wood,  the  heads 
projecting  over  one  side,  under  which  is  placed  a  red 
hot  iron,  to  soften  that  part  of  the  needle  previous  to 
the  eyes  being  bui-nished,  to  prevent  them  cutting  the 
thread.  The  points  are  then  set  and  the  needles  polish- 
ed, being  held  in  the  hand  after  the  manner  of  pointing, 
and  rotating  on  a  wheel  covered  ^vith  prepared  leather, 
which  is  called  a  "BufiV  They  are  now  coiuited,  5 
at  a  time,  and  wrapped  in  theu'  well  known  papers, 
labelled,  and  tied  up,  10  packets  of  25  needles,  in  a  lot, 
for  sale.  About  1 00  millions  of  needles  are  made  every 
week  in  the  needle  district,  and  the  best  qualities  pass 
thi'ough  upwards  of  seventj'  processes.  One  pound's 
worth  of  steel  is  said  to  produce  about  70 £  worth  of 
needles,  and  there  are  at  the  present  time,  100  manu- 
factm-ers,  and  10,000  people  dependant  on  needle  ma- 
king for  theii'  daily  bread. 

"It  is  somewhat  remarkable  that  the  modern  needle 
should  have  been  produced  in  as  primitive  a  manner 
as  it  is  possible  to  imagine,  till  -within  the  last  40  or  50 
years,  machinery,  properly  so  called,  not  having  been 
introduced  for  its  manufacture  till  \\dthin  the  period 
named.  Still  more  sti'ange  is  it  that  the  whole  of  the 
improvements  made  should  have  been  eftected  by  the 
Morralls,  although  so  many  are  engaged  in  the  trade." 
Professor  Crises  Lecture  on  needle  making. 

Chapter  XIY. 

There  were  twelve  exhibitors  of  needles,  three  from 
Redditch,  two  fi'om  Studley,  one  from  Birmingham, 


OF  ]o:edle  maexn'g.  SS' 

two  from  Sheffield,  one  from  Hathersage,  one  from 
Long  Crendon,  and  two  from  Aix~la  Chapelle.  Eight 
medals  were  awarded  for  cases  containing  needles,  fish- 
hooks and  other  things  :  two  exhibitors  of  fish-hooks 
from  Redditch,  one  of  whom  received  a  medal.  One 
case  of  needles  from  Studley  honoiu-ably  mentioned. 

The  folloTsdng  needle  maniifactm-ers'  cases  are  placed 
in  the  Exhibition  Museum,  Kensington  Palace,  London: 
— Abel  Morrall,  Stiidley,  William  Bartleet  &  Son,  and 
Gr.  Boulton  &  Son,  Redditch. 

Abel  Morrall' s  machine  attracted  considerable  atten- 
tion in  the  Polytechnic  Institution,  Regent  Street, 
London.  The  dies  and  punch  used  at  the  Exhibition, 
together  with  samples  of  needles,  are  now  placed  in 
the  Museiun,  at  Peel  Park,  Salford. 

"With  respect  to  the  award  of  medals  for  needles, 
we  may  safely  infer  that  the  juries  knew  little  of  their 
qualities,  as  each  needle  was  fastened  at  the  bottom  of 
the  case,  covered  over  with  glass,  and  not  opened  by  the 
juiy.  William  Dyce,  reporter  to  the  jury  of  Class  22, 
said  in  answer  to  a  letter  sent  to  him  by  A.  Morrall, 
that  the  jury  of  Class  22  did  not  award  him  a  medal 
for  no  other  reason  than  that  they  considered  liim  a 
greater  exhibitor  in  class  6  ;  and  it  was  through  some 
mistake  he  had  not  a  medal  awarded  for  his  needles, 
and  the  juries  will  do  aU  they  can  in  their  report  to 
rectify  this  mistake,  which  was  afterwards  done  by  the 
juiies,  declaring  Abel  Morrall  the  inventor  of  the 
grooveless  needles  :  and  those  are  the  kind  of  needles 
for  which  medals  were  awarded. 

Abel  Morrall  addressed  an  appeal  to  the  public,  in 
the  Times  of  November  8th.,  1851,  which,  up  to  the 
present  time,  has  not  been  controverted ;  and  although 
he  had  not  a  medal,  A.  Morrall  is  satisfied  with  the 
public's  decision,  and  was  therefore  induced  to  become 
an  exhibitor  at  the  Dublin  Exhibition,  and  his  ma- 
chinery, being  at  full  work  duiing  the  whole  time  of 
the  Exhibition,  formed  one  of  the  most  attractive 
inventions ;  and  daily  contributed  to  the  pleasure  of 
thousands  fi'om  aU  parts. 

On  its  return  from  Dublin  it  was  shewn  at  an  Ex  - 


36  inSTOEY  AXD  DESCfilPTIOI?- 

hibition  at  Oldham,  wliere  it  was  equally  attractive. 
Here  it  was  that  the  first  Egg  Eyed  sewing  needles 
were  sold. 

J".  Eimmer  &  Son  of  Aleester,  and  H.  Millward  & 
Sons,  of  Redditch,  exMbited  needles  in  glass  eases, 
at  the  United  States  Exhibition.  Honourable  men- 
lion  was  made  for  Eimmer  &  Sons  needles,  and  a 
medal  was  awarded  to  Millward  &  Sons,  for  their  gold 
eyed  grooveless  needles. 

''It  has,  by  this  time,  become  pretty  generally  felt, 
that  the  'council  medals'  'prize  medals,'  and  'honoura- 
ble mentions,'  of  1851,  are  commercially  of  very  little 
importance,  however  pleasant  they  may  be  to  the 
recipients.  "We  buy  our  knives  of  this  cutler,  and 
our  pianofortes  of  that  maker,  and  our  dinner  plates 
of  this  potter,  not  because  these  manufacturers  hold 
prize  medals,  but  because  the  articles  are  good,  and 
worth  the  money  paid  for  them." — Chamber's  Journal. 

When  Abel  Morrall  returned  home  from  the  Exhi- 
bition, after  inspecting  some  improvements  made  in 
his  patent  machine,  for  burnishing  the  eyes  of  needles, 
he  began  to  carry  out  some  ideas  he  entertained  with 
respect  to  fluted  sail  needles,  and  elastic  steel  needles 
for  shoemaker's  use,  which,  latter  were  intended  to  su- 
persede bristles ;  and  they  being  at  that  time  very  high 
inprice,  shoemakers  and  dealers  in  bristles  were  anxious 
for  a  substitute.  In  a  short  time  all  that  were  made 
by  A.  Morrall  were  sold,  but  shoemakers  did  not  find 
them  so  pliable  as  bristles  ;  and  were  not  disposed  to 
lose  time  in  adapting  themselves  to  the  use  of  needles, 
so  long  as  they  could  obtain  the  more  elastic  bristle. 
It  is  only  by  training  boys  to  its  use,  that  the  needle 
can  be  introduced  into  this  business.  Formerly  bristles 
were  used  by  sadlers  and  harness  makers,  now  needles 
are  used  almost  exclusively. 

In  1852,  the  author  suggested  to  Abel  Morrall  the 
-desirability  of  making  Egg  Eyed  Sewing  Needles,  ob- 
ser\ing  that  they  would  be  useful  to  persons  of  defeo- 
tive  sight.  During  the  discussion  as  to  making 
them,  a  letter  was  received  from  Lady  Lifford,  asking 
.if  he  had  any  sewing  needles,  with  the  Egg  Eye  ;  aa 


or  NEEDLE  MAKING.  37 

she  was  mucL.  pleased  with  his  egg  eyed  darners. 
(Xo.  1,  the  Egg  eyed  darning  needle,  the  eye  of 
which  is  thi-ee  sizes  larger  than  the  common  make  No. 
2.  No.  3,  the  Egg  ej^ed  sewing  needle  used  in  the 
Manchester,  Liverpool,  and  other  Schools  for  the 
blind.*)  In  1853,  a  few  were  made  and  sent  out  as 
"samples ;  and  many  letters  of  approval  were  received, 
including  one  from  the  noble  Lady  just  mentioned. 
By  the  year  1855,  they  became  generally  known,  and 
they  have  nearly  superseded  the  round  eye  :  a  marked 
progress  since  the  Great  Exhibition  of  1851.  In  1856, 
James  Cottrill,  of  Studley,  took  out  a  patent  for  ma- 
chinery, to  supersede  hand  labour  in  filing  needles  and 
other  things.  One  is  in  constant  use  in  Scotland, 
:filing  tubes  at  the  Caledonian  "Works.  In  1857,  he  also 
took  out  a  patent  for  grooving  or  fluting  the  sides  of 
sail  needles,  in  the  form  of  a  bayonet  blade  ;  this  how- 
ever has  made  but  little  progress.  The  same  person 
obtained  a  third  patent  in  1861 ,  for  an  invention  which 
he  calls  a  foiu*  sided  sail  needle  ;  this  in  our  opinion  is 
a  decided  improvement,  and  deserves  the  gratitude 
and  patronage  of  sail  makers.  James  Cottrill  justly 
describes  it  thus  : — "This  needle  is  superior  to  all 
others,  in  consequence  of  its  having  four  equal  sides 
instead  of  three  unequal  sides;  a  smaller  hole  is  made  in 
the  canvas,  allowing  the  thread  to  pass  with  facility, 
the  eye  being  in  a  right  line  with  two  of  its  ^^ Angles,''^ 
In  making,  and  mending  tarpawling  for  covering  lug- 
gage trains,  these  needles  are  found  very  advan- 
tageous, as  they  make  smaller  holes  than  the  ordinary 
needles. 

Edward  MorraU,  (a  nephew  of  A.  M.)  has  invented 
a  most  useful  machine  for  the  needle  trade.  "We  are 
not  permitted  to  describe  it  until  the  patent  is  secured, 
— it  ■^dll  be  shewn  at  A.  Morrall's  stall,  Class  VI  B., 
in  the  International  Exhibition. 

Some  years  ago,  A.  Morrall  began  to  use  a  Trade 
Mark,  which  soon  became  noted  and  was  therefore 
greatly  imitated ;  it  no  longer  distinguished  his  goods 
:from  others.  In  1861,  he  had  new  labels  engraved 
and  entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  adapting  the  crest  of 
*  See  Diagram,  page  1 


38  HISTOEY  A^'D  DESCEEPTIOX 

the  Morralls  as  Ids  Trade  Mark,  namely,  a  Demi 
Griffin.  We  perceive  by  the  Eedditch  newspaper 
that  a  deputation  of  needle  manufacturers  is  gone  to 
London  to  give  evidence  before  a  Committee  of  the 
House  of  Commons,  on  the  subject  of  Trade  Marks. 
The  manufacturers  are  now  about  to  use  Trade  Marks, 
and  it  is  desii-able  that  there  should  be  a  decided 
difference  between  each. 


CHAPTEr.  XT. 
Sewing  machines  have  within  a  few  years  made 
rapid  advances  in  this  country.  It  is  already  used  for 
producing  articles  greatly  varying  both  in  material 
and  form.  To  what  extent  they  may  ultimately  affect 
labour,  either  that  of  needle  producers  or  users,  re- 
mains to  be  seen, — perhaps  neither  so  much  as  might 
be  expected.  The  sewing  machine  is  quite  useless 
without  a  good  needle.  If  the  inventors  and  makers 
of  sewing  machines  would  adopt  a  uniformity  of  nee- 
dles without  a  thick  shoulder,  it  would  be  advan- 
tageous to  the  makers  and  users  of  such  needles.  We 
suggest  to  persons  when  ordering  se^nng  machine 
needles,  to  be  very  explicit,  and  if  possible,  to  send 
a  pattern. 

DIRECTIONS  FOR  ORDERINa  NEEDLES. 


The  length  and  substance  of  a  needle  should  be 

proportioned  to  the  particular  work  on  which  it  is  used. 

The  Sharps  are  those  usually  called 'Se-^dng  needles.' 

Short  Sharps  are  suited  for  rather  coarser  work. 

This  length  of  needle  was  first  introduced  by  A.  Mor- 


rail,  for  Tailors,  but  is  often  used  for  household  work. 
The  Ground  downs  are  also  for  tailors,  and  are  shorter 
than  the  Short  Sharps. 

The  Betweens  are  still  shorter  than  the  Grround 
downs,  half  a  size  thicker,  and  with  stronger  points ; 
they  are  useful  for  strong  sheetings,  stay-making,  and 
shoe-binding. 

The  Blunts  are  half  a  size  thicker  and  a  size  shorter 
than  Betweens,  and  have  still  stronger  points,  being 
suited  for  the  heaviest  work,  such  as  bed-ticks,  shoe- 
binding,  stay-making  &c.  The  larger  sizes  of  Betu'eehs 
and  Blunts,  do  for  sewing  carpets,  and  the  smaller  for 
binding  hats. 

The  Straw  are  suited  for  millinery  and  light  work, 
and  they  are  often  made  double  length,  for  sewing  fents 
in  Manchester. 

The  following  is  a  form  for  ordering  needles : — 
Sharps      1     2     3     4     5     6     7     8     9     10     11     12 

3  to  7  4  to  8  0  to  9  5  to  10  6  to  10  7  to  11 
Short  123456789  10 
Ground  Downs  123456789  10  4  to  7 
Betweens  123456789  10 
Blunts  1  23  45  6789  10 
Straw  123456789  10 
Harness  12  3  4  5  6  7  8 
Darners  1  23456  789  10  3to74to85to9 
Double  Long  16  17  18  2  3  4  5  6  7  &c 
Steel  Netting  Needles  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20 
- — Rug  ditto.  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  21  22  23  24 
Stay  Casing  Needles  14  15  16  17  18"  19  20 
Roimd  Bodkins  14  15  16  17  18  in  assorted  g-rosses. 

Sewing  needles  are  sold  by  the  thousand,  and  the 
letter  "m"  is  generally  used  In  ordering  needles  thus, 

Im, 
Sharps,  No.  7  ;  the  quantity  should  be  placed  over  th« 
number.     Large  needles  are  ordered  by  the  gross. 

Abel  Morrall  will  send,  on  application,  printed 
forms  for  ordering  all  kinds  of  needles  and  thimbles. 

It  may  be  interesting  and  amusing  to  conclude  with 
^'The  Husband's  Complaint,"  and  the  * 'Wife's  An- 
swer" respecting  fancy  work :— 


40 

THE  HUSBAND'S  COMPLAINT. 

I  hate  the  name  of  German  wool  in  all  its  colours  bright; 
Of  chairs  and  stools  in  fancy  work  I  hate  the  very  sight ; 
The  shawls  and  slippers  that  I've  seen,  the  ottomans  and  bagg, 
Sooner  than  wear  a  stitch  on  me,  I'd  walk  the  streets  in  rags. 

I've  heard  of  wives  too  musical — too  talkative — too  quiet; 
Of  scolding  and  of  gaming  wives,  and  those  too  fend  of  riot, 
But  yet  of  all  the  errors  known,  which  to  the  women  fall; 
For  ever  doing  fancy  work,  I  think  exceeds  them  all. 

The  other  day  when  I  went  home  no  dinner  was  for  me, 
I  asked  my  wife  the  reason,  she  answered  one,  two,  three ; 
I  told  her  I  was  hungry  and  stamped  upon  the  floor, 
She  never  even  looked  at  me,  but  mutter* d  one  green  more. 

Of  coiu'se  she  made  me  angry, — she  didn't  care  for  that, 
But  chatters  while  I  talk  to  her,  a  white  and  then  a  black, 
Seven  green's  and  then  a  purple — just  hold  your  tongue 

my  dear, 
You  really  do  annoy  me  so,  I've  made  a  wrong  stitch  here. 

And  as  for  conversation  with  the  eternal  frame, 

I  speak  to  her  of  fifty  things  she  answers  just  the  same  ! 

'Tis '-yes  love,  o  red's  and  there  a  black,  I  quite  agree  with 

you, 

'Tve  done  this  wrong,  7,  8,  9,  10,  an  orange,  then  a  blue. 

If  any  lady  comes  to  tea,  her  bag  ia  first  surveyed. 
And  if  the  pattern  pleases  her  a  copy  there  is  made ; 
She  stares  too  at  the  gentlemen,  and  when  I  ask  her  why, 
*Tis;  *•  0  my  love,  the  pattern  of  his  waiscoat  struck  my  eye. 

And  if  to  walk  I'm  inclined  ('tis  seldom  I  go  out,) 
At  every  worsted  shop  she  sees,  oh  how  she  stares  about ; 
And  there  'tis,  "Oh!  I  must  go  in,  that  pattern  is  so  rare, 
''That  group  of  flowers  is  just  the  thing  I  wanted  for  my  chair 

Besides,  the  things  she  makes  are  such  touch-me  not  affaiis, 
I  dare  not  even  use  a  screen — a  stool — and  as  for  chairs ! 
'Twas  only  yesterday  I  put  my  youngest  boy  on  one, 
And  tintil  then,  I  never  Imew  my  wife  had  such  a  tongue 


41 

Alas  for  my  dear 'little  ones,  they  dare  not  move  or  speak: 
'Tis,  "Tom  be  quiet,  put  down  that  bag,  Harriet  wbere's 

your  feet  ? 
Maria  standing  on  that  stool, — it  "was  not  made  for  use, 
"Be  silent  all — three  green's,  one  red.  and  then  a  puce. 

Ah!  the  misery  of  a  working  wife,  with  fancy  work  run  wild, 
And  hands  that  never  do  aught  else  for  husband  or  for  child; 
Oui"  clothes  are  rent  and  minus  strings,  my  house  is  in  disor- 

der, 
And  all  because  my  lady  wife  has  taken  to  embroider. 

I'll  put  my  children  out  to  school — I'll  go  across  the  sea, 
My  wife's  so  full  of  fancy  work,  I  amsiu'e  she  won't  missme; 
E'en  while  I  write  she  still  keeps  on  her  one,  two,  three  and 

four, 
'Tis  past  all  bearing,  on  my  word  I'll  not  endure  it  more. 

THE  WIFE'S  AXSWER. 

Well  to  be  sure,  I  never  did,  why  what  a  fuss  you  make, 
I'H  first  explain  myself,  my  dear,  a  little  for  yoiu*  sake  : 
You  seem  to  think  this  worsted  work  is  all  the  ladies  do, 
A  very  great  mistake  of  yours,  so  I'll  enlighten  you. 

I  need  not  count,  for  luckily,  I'm  filling  up  just  now. 

So  listen,  dear,  and  drive  away  those  wrinkles  from  your 

brow : — 
When  you  are  in  your  study,  love,  as  still  as  any  mouse. 
You  cannot  think  the  lots  of  things  I  do  about  the  house. 

This  morning  after  breakfast  I  heard  the  children  spell, 

And  I'm  teaching  little  Mary  to  gather  and  to  fell ; 

I  paid  my  washing  bill,  and  then  I  went  to  see 

What  contents  in  the  larder  for  our  dinner  there  might  be. 

I've  finished  Tommy's  pinafore,  and  fed  the  green  canary, 
I've  hemmed  a  duster,  &  I've  made  a  bonnet  cap  for  Mary 
I've  practised  that  concerto  thing,  you  thought  so  very  fine;; 
I've  written  all  the  notes,  as  well  to  ask  our  friends  to  dine. 

I'ye  filledmy  vaaes  with  fresh  flowers,  so  fine  they  are  &  fall, 
And  after  that — I  will  confess — I  sorted  out  my  wool ; 
I've  read  that  paper  setting  forth  the  sweet  confiding  trust, 
Husbands  should  cherish  for  their  wives,  and  think  it  yery 
just. 


I've  settled  all  my  weeklj^  bills,  and  balanced  my  accounts, 
With  a  little  lot  of  German  wool   to  make  up  the  amounts, 
Ah!  now  at  last  my  reasoiiing  eonviucrS  you  I  know, 
That  pleasant  smile — and  yes,  my  love — it  does  becom* 
you  so  ; 

Besides,  to  tell  the  truth,  all  the  worsted  work  1  do, 
My  bag,  my  cushions  k  my  chairs,  art-  in  compliment  to  you, 
I  made  a  set  of  night-shirts,  and  did  you  not  declare 
That  the  rending  of  the  calico  was  more  than  you  could  bear. 

I  knit  some  lambs  wool  stockings,  and  you  kicked  up  such  a 

rout. 
And  ask'd  how  soon  my  ladj'ship  was  going  to  have  the  gout! 
So  now,  my  dear,  entii'ply  to  please  you  I  declare, 
I've  worked  this  splendid  arabesque  upon  my  vesper  chair. 

Two  hearth-rugs  and  an  ottoman,  seven  chairs,  &  after  that 
1  hope  to  do  some  groups  of  flowers,  and  a  handsome  car- 
riage mat. 
Enough  of  banter;  yet  believe  one  wordbefore  we  pai-t, —  * 
The  rtst  perhaps  was  fable;  but  this  is  from  the  heart, — 
The  loving  wife,  right  cheerfully,  obeys  her  husband  still, 
And  will  ever  lay  aside  her  frame  to  meet  his  lordly  will. 


HERALDIC     DESCRIPTION     OF 

Vert,  three  needles  in  fesse,  each  ducaUy  crowned  or. 

CREST,— A  Moor's  head  couped  at  the  shoulders, 
in  profile,  ppr.  wreathed  about  the  temples  or.  and  gu. 
vested  round  the  shoulders  or.  in  his  ear  a  pearh 

SUPPOETERS,— Dexter,  a  man;  Sinister,  a  woman, 
both  ppr.  each  wreathed  round  the  waist  with  leaves  of 
the  last ;  in  the  woman's  hand  a  needle  or.  the  suppor- 
ters are  commonly  called  Adam  and  Eve. 

J.     R.     APPLETOX,     F.     S. 
H.  BETDroH-,  Printer,  55,  Faulkner-st.,  Manchester. 


m^^mmmmmmwmmmmm^ 


TIME 


m 


^^  --^^4r^^ 


W 

SUPEKIOR 

AliOIcA,  CASHMimi, 

SILK,  &c., 
ON  HEELS,  FOR  MENDING.         M 


"An  Article  brought  out  by  a  Manufacturer  of 
Macclesfitrld,  rriust  prove  a  great  convenience  to 
our  industrious  wives  and  daughter?.  The  want 
of  handy  mending  material  for  mi/  Stockings,  (so 
long  complained  '.f,)  is  now  supplied  in  all  re- 
quisite colours  and  qiialities  by  thtse  Bugle 
Mendings." 

Supplied  Wholesale  by  Leading  Houses  in  London 
and  Manchester.  Eetail  by  the  Berlin  Wool  & 
Smallware  Depots  throughout  the  Kingdom. 

N.B.— Trade  Mark,  Tlie  Bugle,  Entered  at 
Stationers'  Hall. 


M111)]L1    MAHlBi"    AMMio 


Michael  Morhall  is  informed  that  a  Family, 
named  Quant,  have  used  his  name  to  forward 
their  interests  with  Manufactui'ers  &  Merchants 
in  obtaining  Situations  of  trust,  without  his 
Authority.  One  of  this  Family  held  the  Office 
of  Book-keeper  at  7,  High  Street,  Manchester. 
He  was  discharged  and  a  character  refused  by 
Michael  Morrall. 


Q>        5^  K  &   ^s.  ^  ajNij   ^ 

MANUFACTUEEE  OF 
EXTI^A    QUALITY 

CROCHET  COTTON. 

SUPERIOR, 


SEWING-THEEAD. 


STOCKPORT. 


L.  ARDERN  begs  to  intimate  that 
his  well-known  "Extra  Quality  Crochet 
Cotton,"  may  be  had  Wholesale  from  the 
Principal  Warehouses  in  London,  Manchester, 
&c.,  &c.,  and  Retail  from  all  first-class  Haber- 
■dashers  throughout  the  United  Kingdom. 


GLENFIELD  PATENT  STARCH, 

USED  IX  THE   EOYAL   LA.UXDEY, 
And  Pronounced  by  HEE  MAJESTY'S  LAUXDEESS, 

TO    BE 

THE  FINEST  STARCH  SHE  EVER  USED. 

Sold  by  aU  Chandlers,    Grocers,  &c,,  «S:c. 
WOTHERSPOON  &  CO.,  Glasgow  and  Loxdox. 


BY  HER  MAJESTY'S  ROYAL  LETTERS  PATENT. 

^^     ^^5      <^S 

COTTPJLL'S  '^m^    PATENT 


FOUR-SIDED     SAIL    NEEDLE. 

This  Needle  is  superior  to  all  others,  in  consequence  of 
its  lia^ang  FOUR  EQUAL  SIDES,  instead  of  tin-ee  un- 
equal ones  ;  it  makes  a  smaller  hole  in  the  canvas,  and  al- 
lows the  thread  to  pass  with  greater  facility'-,  the  Eye  be  - 
iug  in  a  right  line  with  two  of  its  angles. 

It  has  been  fully  tested  by  the  fii'st  Sail  Makers  in  Liv- 
ea^ool  and  Glasgow,  and  pronounced  by  them  to  bo  *'in- 
fimtely  superior  to  all  others  as  a  Seaming  Needle,"  for 
tbe  reasons  above  stated,  admitting  of  a  very  bt  autifal 
finish  to  the  work. 

To  the  workman  the  superiority  of  this  Needle  cannot  be 
too  well  known,,  .its  tlat  sides  at  once  adapting  them- 
selves to  the  fingers,  saving  the  workman  much  pain,  and 
it  is  not  liable  to  jump.  It  is  also  invalualtle  to  Tent 
Makers  as  no  wet  can  ever  follow  this  needle. 

SOLD  BY  RESPECTABLE   NEEDLE  MANUFACTURERS  &  SHIP  CHANDLERS 
IN  THE  UNITED  KINGDOM. 


GENERAL 

Ifo.  27,  PICCADILLY,  MAICHEgTER. 

AU  kinds  of  Scotcli  and  ¥elsli  Knitted  Hosiery. 


UNITED  KINGDOIVI  ALLIANCE 

FOB  THE 

IE6ISLATIVE  SUPPRESSION  OF  THE   LIQUOR  TRAFEIC. 


PERMISSIVE    BILL 

FOR   THE 

Yoluntary  ProMbition  of  tlie  Lip-or  Traffic. 

It  is  not  proposed  by  tMs  measure  to  ask  for  an  impe- 
rial enactment  there  and  then  prohibiting  the  traffic  in  in- 
toxicating liquors,  but  simply  to  secure  a  reference  of  the 
question  to  public  opiaion.  Thus  the  law  would  not  oper- 
ate •vrithiii  such  districts  as  were  not  wishful  to  secure  its 
benefits,  but  would  only  take  effect  as  to  the  lesults  of  a 
direct  expression  of  a  preponderatiug  public  opinion. 

Cf)c  preamble  of  tljc  Uill  sets  fotll)  tljat.. 

""Whereas  the  common  sale  of  intoxieatingliquors  is  a  fruitful  source 
"of  crime,  immn-ality,  pauperism,  dlsea^e,  insanity,  aud  premature 
"death;  \^hcr«by  not  only  ihe  individuals  wh-ipive  way  t«  drinkiag 
'<  habits  are  fjiunaedinto  misery,  but  giifvous  wrong  is  done  to  the  per- 
*'sons  and  proj  erty  of  Her  Majestj  's  subjects  nt  large,  and  the  puMic  rateu 
"endtaxe*  are  gr'atly  aiigniented  ;  and  whereas  it  is  right  and  expedi- 
^'ent  toC'T.ter  uj  onthe  ratepayers  of  cities,  boroughs,  parishes,  and 
"township"!  ibe  po  ver  to  prohibit  sach  common  sale  as*  aforesaid — B© 
"  it  therefore  "uacted,  &c. 

The  bill  itself  provides  that,  on  application  of  any 
district,  the  votes  of  the  ratepayers  shall  be  taken  as  to 
the  propriety  of  adopting  the  provisions  of  the  act ;  but 
that  a  majority  of  at  least  two  thirds  of  the  votes  taken 
shall  be  necessary  in  order  to  decide  that  question  in  the 
affirmative. 

The  act  itself  would  when  so  adopted,  prohibit  within 
that  district  all  traffic  in  intoxicating  liquor  for  common 
purposes,  but  would  leave  in  the  hands  of  the  justices  the 
power  to  appoint  an  agent  who  should  sell  for  purposes 
declared  legal  by  the  act. 

"^Theirof.oal  of  the  Grrnd  Allisnre  well  deserves  a  careful  consid- 
eration--thf  pLm  ot  erjabling  r  certain  proporiion  of  the  inhabitant*  in 
every  di.-t'ict--a  prop-  rtion  considerably  ai>  ve  the  commercial  major- 
ity--to  give  the  mwgistraies  au  honly  for  p'acing  the  district  under  a 
general  r^i  rei-sive  act,  passed  with  such  modifications  as,  according  to 
the  act's  privi>ioMs,  maybe  allowed  in  the  peculiar  local  lirctimetanees.' 
Lord  Beotigham's  Address  at  iha  Social  ^cience  Congress,  Glasgow. 

United  Kingdom  Alliance  Offices,  41,  John  Dalton-st., 
Manchester,  and  335,  Strand,  London. 


HYD  ROPATHIO 

MiATLOOK    BANK, 

ITear  Matlock  Bridge,  Station, 

DERBYSHIRE. 

CONDUCTED  BY  MESSES.  DAVIS  BROTHERS, 

Formerly  at  Mr.  Smedley's  Establishment, 
Terms:— Board,  Lodging,  and  Baths,   2s.  6d.  per  day. 

The  mild  system  of  Water  Treatment  is  carried 
out  according  to  MR.  SMEDLEY'S  Books,  which  may 
be  had  at  each  Establishment. 

Matlock  Bank  can  scarcely  be  surpassed  for  its 
Health  Restoring  Qualities.  Each  Establishment  com- 
mands Fine  Prospects,  and  at  the  same  time  are  well  shel- 
tered fi'om  the  Xorth  and  East  Winds. 

SOUTH   VIEW   ESTABLISHMENT, 

CONDUCTED    BY   MR.    &    MRS.   RALPH  DAVIS. 

The  Original  Managers  at  Mr.  Smedleys  beg  to 
return  their  grateful  thanks  for  the  patronage  they  have 
received  and  respectfully  solicit  a  continuance  of  the  same 

PROSPECT  ESTABLISHMEIT. 

Mr.  &  Mrs.  Thomas  Davis  return  thanks  for  past 
favors  and  beg  to  inform  their  fi-it-nds  that  since  last  sum- 
mer they  have  greatly  increased  their  accommodation  by  ad- 
ding  the  adjoining  premises. 

~TOER~HOTISE  ESTABLISHMEIfT, 

CONDUCTED  BY  MR.  &  MRS.  GEORGE  DaYIS, 
who  beg  respectfully  to   announce  to  the  Public  that  they 
treat  Patients  on  the  same  plans  as  practised  at  Mr.  Smed- 
ley'<?. 


WILLIAMS   &    TATLOE, 

AND 

T^^AREHOXJSElVtElSr, 
54,    Church    Street,    MANCHESTER: 

N.B.  Orders  by  Post  well  and  Promptly  Executed.. 

HOMCEOPATHIC  MEDICINE  CHESTS  &  CASES, 
from  SIX  SHILLINGS  &  upwards,  Carriage  Free. 
HoMCEOPATHic  GUIDE  to  the  use  of  the  Medicines 
POST  FEEE.  HOMCEOPATHIC  TOOTH  POWDER, 
One  Shilling  Per  Box.  ..J.  BURY,  Homoeopathic 
Chemist,  9,  KING  STREET,  MANCHESTER. 

DOWDY'S    TEMPERANCE    HOTEL, 
KIN^Gh    ©TK.EET,    STIR.EIlSJ'Gh. 

Parties  visiting  this  Hotel  {to  tvhich  a  large  addition  has 
been  made)  will  find  in  it  a  Home;  the  Parlours  are  Spa 
cious,  the  Bedrooms  Excellent.        Established  in  >  841. 

RS.  MULLET'S  Commercial  Boarding  House, 
22,  Broad-st.,  TJnioa-st.,  Aberdeen. 


HYDROPATHIC  ESTABLISHMENT,    ROCK  SIDE  HOUSE, 

MATLOCK  BANK,  DEEBYSHIEE: 

Terms,  21s.  to  25/6  per  week.  Prospectuses  on  application. 

Proprietor.— Mr.    Charles  Rowland. 

ILLIAM  lEWIN,   Stationer,   Printer,  Engraver, 
and  Litbogi-aphpr,  5,  Princess-st,  MANCHESTEEi. 

APARTMENTS,  MATLOCK  BANK. 
ISXI^S.     J.     "V^AIjKEI^, 

Eeturns  thanks  for  past  favours,  and  begs  to  inform  her 
friends   that  she   has  removed  from  Ash  Cottage  to 
more  convenient  premises 

No,  3,  Rock  Side  Terrace. 


w 


JONAS    BROOK    &   BROTHERS, 

MANUFACTTJUEES    OF 

SEWING    COTTON, 


MELTHAM  MILLS,  HUDDEUSFIELD. 


FOR    SEWING    MACHINES, 

Use  Brook's  Patent  Glace  for  Upper  Thread,  and 
Brook's  Pri^e  Six"  Coid  (soft)  for  Under  Thread,  in  200 
or  500  yards,  "White,  Black,  and  Colors. 

The  Glace  Thread  -will  be  found  an  excellent  sub- 
stitute for  Silk,  and  being  made  from  the  best  quality  of 
Cotton,  it  retains  its  strength  in  -slashing,  and  is  not  in- 
jured by  the  friction  of  the  needle. 

In  the  Inteexational  Exhibition,  Class  18, 
Messrs.  Brook  &  Bros,  exhibit  a  very  handsome  case  of 
Cotton  Threads,  Crochet  and  Embroidering  Cottons,. in 
various  processes  of  manufactiure. 

They  also  exhibit  in  the  Machinery  department, 
Class  7a,  i)t  motion,  a  Self-acting  Sewing  Cotton 
"Winding  Machine,  a  new  and  most  interesting  invention 
securing  the  correct  lengths,  and  performing  an  exti'aor- 
dinary  amount  of  excellent  work. 

20,  Cannon  Street,  West, LONDON. 

2,  Port  Street,    MANCHESTER. 

76,  Castle  Street,    , BRISTOL. 

25,  Cochrane  Street,    GLASGOW. 

117,   BouLEYART  de  Sevastopol PARIS. 

32,  Vesey  Street,    NEW  YORK. 

4,  Custom  House  Square,   MONTREAL. 


DEMT  &  Co,  DRAPERS,  LEEDS, 

Will  on  receipt  of  13  PENNY  STAMPS  forward  post  free 
in  a  neat  morocco  case,  100  of  Abel  Morrall's  celebrated 
Egg-eyed-Needles.  "Warranted  to  carry  a  Large  Thread, 
not  .to  Cut  in  the  Eye,  nor  Drag  at  the  Head." 

HEGREAT  SECRET  in  obtaining  GOOD  TEA  is  to 
purchase  it  at  a  proper  Tea  Establishment.  The  Best 
Places  in  Manchester  are  the  Three  Tea  Establishments  of 
WM.  SATTERTHWAITE— the  one  on  Piccadilly, 
nearly  opposite  the  Queen's  Hotel;  the  other  at  the  top  of 
Oldham  Street,  comer  of  Swan  Street;  and  the  third,  160, 
Deansgate,   M  anchester.     Wholesale  buyers,  who  can  pay 

ready  money,  W'll  receive  every  attention  o"  calling  at  he  "^  holesale 
Deparfmpnt,  53,  Piccadilly.  The  best  and  purest  COCOA  is  Satter- 
thwai  e'p  Genuine  'J  rinidad. 

SAMUEL    SMITH 

Manufacturer  by    Patent  Machinery  of 

ECCLESHILL,  l^ear  LEEDS. 

THIIVJCBLES. 

MOKRAT  L'S  Thimbles  have  l.-ig  been  highly  approved  of.  They 
are  -tamped  wiih  a  number  which  enal  les  cusomirs  (o  select  the 
Sizps  they  require,  to  complete  their  as>ortment;  they  also  bear  the 
name  of  t!'e  manufacturer.  He  stronaiy  recommend*  his  Tailnrs'  Best 
Steel  ThimMes  ;TheLadie<'  Best  Vt  hi  e  Metal  Thimbles,  ccmbine  tbe 
durability  of  st«- el  with  the  liahtnes- a  id  other  advantages  cf  Sterling 
Silver,  tueir  biightness  increases  with  the  length  of  wear. 

NEEDLES. 

ABEL  'MORRALL'S  Needles  can  he  obtained  in  most  towns  in  the 
United  Kingdom.         The  most  convenient  town  or  place  to  procure 
them  may  be  ascertained  by  writing  to 

miK&M.A'miLi    HOBBiilLIL^^ 

NEEDLE    AND    THIMBLE    WAREHOUSE, 
7,    HIGH  STREET,  MANCHESTER. 

MANCHESTER. 

WILLIAM  SHIERS  and  Co.,  Manufactiu-ers  and  Im- 
porters   of  Paper-hangings.    An  extensive   stock  of  the 
Newest  designs.     Oil  Painttrs  and   Upholsterers  Articles, 
"Wholesale  and  Eetail  and  for  Exportation. 
3  and  5,  DEANSGATE. 


S.     nOTVLEY  ^  &     On., 

Manufacturers  &  Agents  of 

SEWED     AND      PERFORATED      EMBROIDERY, 

jVCUSLIISrS,    STAYS,    &o., 

72,  Eensliaw  Street,  Stretford  Uoad,  Mancliester. 

TEETH — EDWAhD  mi  ES^  the  Cicy  ol  Lonrl  n  D -ntist,  15, 
Liverpool  ST.,  Bi-hopgate  Ch'irch.  cnnti  ue?  ihe  use  fth*  Best 
"Workmansh  p  in  f-et- ot  Ti  eth  and  sarh  as  cannot  bi'txcelled  io 
London.  Amsrica,  or  Paris,  adnptiufr  it  to  pvry  I'atcni  pnd  to  all  hi« 
New  Inventions,  <fe  Improvements, the  result  ff  3  '  ypurs  actire  prac-- 
tiee, at  charges  as  m  .derate  ^s  pure  materials  admi;,  some  ofwhichare 
less  than  ha  fihose  u«ua!ly  ma'le, —  Moreexplaine  ii'i  i^.dward  Miles' 
abridged  v.'ork  —Best  Gdd  Stoppinsr,  Whiie,— 15  L-verrrool  otreet. 

WOTEEESPOON'S    YICTOEIA    LOZSN&ES. 

GIVE    SWEETNESS    TO    TKE    TASTE    m 

FRAQUANCE  TO  THE  BRKAIK. 

Sold  by  Grocers.  &e.  in  Pacliets  at  Id.  avA  upwards, 
WOTHERSPOON    &    CU       GLASGOW    &    LONDON, 


TT 


AEEOC-ATo  -DAEBYSHIRE'S  PEIYATE  LODGINGS, 
West  Ciiff  House,  Cold  Bath  Road. 


Victoria  Commercial  Tem.perance  Hotel, 
14,  Eishopgate  St.,  Leeds, 

(Next  door  to  trie  Scarborough  Hotel.) 
Commercial  Gentlemen  and  Visitors  will finrJ  every  com- 
fort and  attention.      J.  ANDREW,  Proprietor. 

DERBY. 

l^='Turn  to  the  right  as  you  leave  the  Railway  Station,  A 
Five    Minutes    Walk  will  bring  3-ou  to  WALL'S 

Temperance  Hotel,  25,  SiddeFs  Road. 

NEWCASTLE-UPOfNi-T-VNE: 

Crown  Temperance,  Commercial,   and  Eamily, 

BOAHDIlSTGh   HOUSE. 

Passengeis   by  walking   up  the  steps  facing  the   Central 
Station,  will  reach  the  Hotel  in  One  xMinute. 

No  8,  Clayton  Street,  (West.) 

E.  P.  BELL,  Proprietor. 


W 


illiam   Hodgson,  Photographic  Artist, 
Matlock  Bridge,  Derbyshire. 


TO    MERCHANTS     &c    OTHERS, 

TO  BE  LET,  A  Large  and  Commodioxis  Stock  Eoom, 
also  Xwo  Smaller  Ones,  suitable  for  Offices,  (witli  fix- 
tui'es,)  either  together  or  separately.  Apply  on  the  prem- 
ises, 7,  High  Street,  Manchester. 


BRISTOL.. 
FREDERIC      GRI 


GORY, 


DRAPER,    37,    WiNE     STREET, 

ABEL   MORKALL's   EGG-EYED   NEEDLES. 


MANUFACTURER    OF    WORSTEDS,    YARNS,    &c 

Hosier  &  General  Haberdasher, 

ABEL    MORRALL'S    NEEDLES,   THIMBLES,   &c. 

DEAN     ST,      NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE- 

With  the  IMPliOVED    BURNISdED  EGG-EYES, 
Graduated  HEADS,  and  patent  four-square  points  in 
all  sizes. 

Morrall's  Wareliouse,  7.  Higli  Street,  Eancliester. 


MRS.  BROWN  HILL'S  COMMERCIAL  DINING 
ROOMS,  5,  Dautzic-st.,  Withy  Grove,  Manchester* 
Hot  Joints,  Pastry,  &c.  from  12  to  3  o'clock.— Tea  &  Coffee 
on  the  shortest  notice.— Dinners  6|d  Pastiy  2d.  extra. 

IMPORTANT    TO    DRAPERS. 

Shops  supplied  with  every  description  of 

FANCY    BOXES  FOR  RIBBONS,    TIES,  GLOVES,    &0. 

AND 

Grreen  Clotli  Boxes  for  Keeping  Stock, 

13,    SUGAR    LANE,    MANCHESTER. 

Estimates  for  Large  or  Small  quantiiies  t.ent  to  all  parts  of  the  Country, 

To  Manufactiirers,  Chemists,  Ironmongers,  Wholesale 
Grocers,  Druggists,   &c. 

Clotli  Luggage  Secure  Dii'ection  Labels, 

MADE   BY 

J.       RU  SHT"  ON, 

13,     8UGAH,     LANE,       MANCHESTER. 

Send  for  Prices.  Stationers  Supplied. 


ORIGINAL        ^^^^^^^  PATENT 

GROOVELESS    EYED      NEEDLES 

Are  preferred  by  Tail<r.<;,  Fhre  binders,  Stay  IMftkers,  and  even  by 
some  Lndies  to  his  Ci-lebrated  E^.-Eyed  Needles,  and  are  nold  by  the 
principal  dealers  who  will  forward  100  posi  free  for  13  stamps. 

ABEL  MORR.ll.L'S  Harness  and  SaddJtrs'  Needles 
Quilting  and  Circular  Needles,  Egg  Eyed  Looping 
Needles,  Upholsterers'  &  other  needles  are  soid  RetaQ  in 
Manchester,  by 

EDWIN    PIDGEON,   71,    OLDHAM   STREET, 

W.  H.  WRIGHT,  27,   OXFORD  STREET, 

S.    CHADWICK   3,     PETER    STREET,     DEANSGATE, 

AND    OTHERS. 


LONDON. 

STARR'S  TEAIPERANrF  COMMPRCIAL  HOTEL,  4,  &  5, 
Victofia-st,  foo?  of  Holborn-hill,  nenr  the  Mptioi^litan  Railway 
Stitiot.. — Terin«mnde/ate  -viz  :--Bi^'d  fromls.  6fi,  Bn-akfast  o  lea 
frninl>.3d,  A'tendancp^d.ier  da>  .---'1  E-TllNK  tMALy.-- «  ehave 
great  pl*-asure  in  re'-rimnif  ndins  Ptarr's  Hutel,  as  being  a  perfectly  <  lean 
Comfortablt',  and  well-conducted  Kstablishm-nt,  and  intend  making 
it  our  '  Home"  when  in  London." — Handel  Cosi-ham,  E~q.  Bris  ol; 
Cyrus  and  Jnmes  Clark,  Esq<.  Streer,  'Ihos  Whittaker,  Esq.  Scarboro; 
Alex  Graham,  Esq.  London  He  el  Glasgow;  J.  Bowme,  Temprance 
Hotel  Oldht  m  Street.  Ma'  cheste..^— N.B  — In  order  to  secure  accom- 
odtttion  it  is  advisable  to  write  a  few  days  in  advance. 

E.     ALCOCK'S, 

TEMPERANCE  HOTEL  &  COMMERCIAL  BOARDING  HOUSE. 

11,     FISH    STREET,    MYTONGATE, 
H  XJ  L  Ij  , 

IN  THE  CllNlRE  OF  BUSINi-SS, 

?v>ar  the  Railway  Station  and  Landing  Place  of  the  Packets, 
Daily  .News,  Hull    Advt-rti-er,  Railway  Tim:'    lahles. 
Correct     Informatou  risj  ecting  Pac   ets,  Coaches,  and  the  Railways. 
Cho]  s,  Steaks,  Tea  and  ('>  ffee  at  any  hour. 

UNICORN      WORKS;       REDDITCH, 

Manufacturers  of  every  description  of  Fish  Hooks  &  Fish- 
ing  Tackle.— Specimens  shewn  in  Class  22,    Birmingham 

Court  at  the  Crystal  Palace,  Sydenham. Merchants  and 

Dealers  supplied  on  the  B.  st  Terms. 


GOODMAN'S      mM^^^      ELASTIC  STEEL 


PATENT      ^^^g^^  PINS 

WITH    f'INE    POINIS^     IX  WHITE,  PURPLE  &  BLACK. 
A  Sample  Packet  sent  free  by   Post  for   Eight  Starops. 

ROWLKY'S  PatcntSHfetyNurse-y  1>RESSAND'-HAWL    PINS. 
A  Choice  assortment    of  ^EEDLE  BOOKS,  BOXE»,  &c. 

Registered  Crochet  IIook.s,  with  coiled  Handlts. 
Ready  Threaded  Needle  and  Cotton    Box.  (Eegistered) 
Needle  Points  for  Cabinet  Makers. 

«EL  MORR ALL'S  NEEDLK  WAKEHOUSE,  7,  High  Street, 
Manchester. 


A 


M  AXLOOK, 

WANTED  TWO  PAIR  .f  SECOXD-HAND  GATES,  inwrought 
iron,  for  a  Coaury  i^esidewce.... width  between  posts,  9orl0feet 
apply  7,  High-st.,  Manchester. 


WIEE      k     VENETIAN    BLIND     MA.KER, 
BIRMINGHAM. 


YEOMAN    &    K  N  A  P  M  A  N  , 

Hosiers  &  Haberdashers, 
The  oldest  Establishment  in  Liverpool  for  Abel  Morrall's 

Needles.     Every  description  constantlv  on  hand. 
Eenshaw  House,  24,  Eexsha^v  Street,  LIVERPOOL. 

xomm  EraBT  &  bqk, 

GxiS     CHA>TDELIEE     MANUFACTURERS, 
15,  Piccadilly,  Manchester. 

ANTIQUITIES,  CURIOSITIES,  ORNAMENTS.       - 

JACKSON'S  CEMENT  sur- 

passe*  m  neatness,  in  srrcngtli, 
in  cheapness,  and  retains  it« 
Tirtnes  in  all  elimfctes.  It  haa 
stood  the  te»t  of  time  sind  iH 
all  ouarters  of  the  world-— 
Sold  b'j  CheinisU,  dc,  and  by 
the  Wholesale  Houses.— A 
Sample  Bottle  per  Post,  free  for 
14  Stamps,  from  the  Proprietor, 
StrarCgevags,  Manchetttr. 


J.     KIRBY. 

OF 

Tiles,  Steel,  and  Table  KiiiYes, 

MEABRO'     WORKS,    Near    ROTHERHAM. 

G^.     ^W,    KIHBY'S 

COMMERCIAL     TEMPERANCE      HOTEL, 

4,    Market    Street, 

^        ^        SHEFFIELD. 

JOHN  MAT  HER,  dealer  in  Derbyshire  Spar  Ornaments 
Dob  Lane,  Matlock  Bank. 


M 


ORRALL'S  BROTLIERS,  Coopers  Sc  Basket  Makers, 
8,   Park  Street,  Leamington. 


AND 


EilE    SEATIIG    MAMPACTOEY, 

HANOVER   WORKS, 
RIGA    STREET, 


GUIDE  TO  HEALTH, 

BY  A.  I.  COPEII,  M.  D. 


THE      S2N1D,     EDITION, 
In  its  Original  Simplicity. 


HAVE  NO  MORE  BLEEDING,   BLISTERING,  OR 
poisoNiisrG^. 


PRICE     SIX    SHILLINGS. 

Sold  by  JOHN  SYKE^,  Wooldale,  near  Hudder*.fleld  ;  W.  IBWIM 
5,  Prince»8-st.,  and  M.  Moirall^  7,  High-St.,  Mancheeter. 


UCSB   LIBRARY    y-5^^") 


SPIXNERS    AND    MAXLTACTUREKS    OF 

2,  3,  6  &  9  CORD  SEWING  COTTON, 

THE    CELEBKATED 

Cr0cljet  aub  Guipure  €atim, 


Crocliet,  Guipure,  Lacet,  Tatting,  Applique;  &  Embroidery  "Work^ 

EMBEOIDERT  COTTON,  MOEAYIAN  COTTON, 
Jflaurbljiitg  i;  piteit  S^bnn;trs, 

BRIDGE     MILLS, 

BLACKFRIARS,       MANCHESTER. 


ABEL    MOEEALL, 

Inventeur 
G.  D.  G. 

Des  aiguilles  sans  cannelure  et  a  trou  oval; 

On  garantit  que  ces  aiguilles  peuyent  contenir  un  fil 
assez  gros,  qu'elles  ne  le  coupent  pas  a  Fendi-oit  du  trou, 
et  que  la  tete  passe  a  trayers  le  tissu  sans  jamais 
I'endommager. 

Les  aiguilles  a  coudre  et  a  broder  de  M.  Moeball 
faites  du  meilleur  acier,  dont  la  trempe  est  elastique, 
sont  d'un  poll  des  j)lns  pur;  les  trous  ont  la  forme 
ovale  et  sont  faeilement  enfiles  meme  par  les  personnes 
d'un  age  ayance.  Com  me  elles  sont  perforees  et  polies 
en  meme  temps  au  moyen  de  la  Macliine  Breyetee  de 
M.  Abel  Moerall,  qui  a  pour  objet  de  remplacer 
I'ancienne  maniere  de  percer  les  trous;  elles  ne  present- 
nent  consequemment  aucune  asperite  et  font  qu'il  est 
impossible  que  les  trous  coupent  le  fil. 


On  pent  voir  fonotionner  les  principaux  precedes 
de  cette  fabrication  dans  la  saUe  destinee  aux  Macliines, 
au  Palais  de  Cristal,  de  Sydenham,  et  au  Exposition 
International,  Classe  7,  B.,  Londres. 

ediantillous,  en  boites,  de  1-25. 


Maison  de  Commerce:  4,  Gresham  Street,  City,  vis- 
a-vis  Aldermanbury,  Londres.  Fabrique:  Studley, 
Comte  de  Warwick,  Angleterre.  Ces  aiguilles  se 
vendent  chez  toiis  les  Marchands  de  Nouveautes, 
Merciers,  etc. 


M. 


^C  SC'^^'^t'^N  REGIONAL  LoRARV  FACiLiT 


1^1^ 


THIMBLES  &c. 


SS  A  SI  W  3F  ^  ©  ^  1^  3E  H  3^, 

INVENTOR  OF  THE 

Patent  &rooYeless,  &  Egg-Eyed  Needles. 

BLOND, 

PENT, 

STRAW, 

STAY- CASING, 

EMBROIDERY, 

BEAD, 


SHARPS. 

GROUND-DOWNS, 

BETWEENS, 

BLUNTS, 

RUG, 

CHENILLE, 

MATTRASS, 

PACKING, 

GLOVER'S, 


BLEACHERS; 

TAMBOUR-HOOKS, 

BODKINS. 


Cottrill's  Patent  Eoui'  Square  Sail  Needles. 

CROCHET    HOOKS,     &c.    &.C., 
WAREHOUSE   7,     HIGH   STREET,    MANCHESTER, 
Studley  MiUs,    Warwickshire. 


The  process  of  Needle  Making  shown  at 
tional  Exhibition,  and  at  the  Crystal  Pala( 


teraa- 


yi 


n 


